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Review
"His last cookery book knocked Harry Potter off the top spot...now Simon Hopkinson has turned his attention from roast chicken to vegetables..... Absorbed, comforted, excited... Hopkinson delivers in his clear, unshowy, kindly prose." - The Times Magazine, 3rd October 2009 -- The Times Magazine, 3rd October 2009
"Packed with recipes for innovative vegetarian fare." - House & Garden October 2009
-- House & Garden October 2009
"A brilliant notion. It's vegetarian cooking but not in vegetarian spirit... these recipes work admirably without meat."
--Metro (London), 26th November 2009
Simple, Practical and Seasonal --the Guardian, 29/03/10
Full of practical recipes and mouthwatering dishes, this cookery book will become your life saver
--Prima, 1st June 2010
"Packed with recipes for innovative vegetarian fare." - House & Garden October 2009
-- House & Garden October 2009
"A brilliant notion. It's vegetarian cooking but not in vegetarian spirit... these recipes work admirably without meat."
--Metro (London), 26th November 2009
Simple, Practical and Seasonal --the Guardian, 29/03/10
Full of practical recipes and mouthwatering dishes, this cookery book will become your life saver
--Prima, 1st June 2010
Product Description
All too often, the vegetarian option is an afterthought on a restaurant menu or the vegetables are relegated to a side dish at home. Here, for the first time, Simon Hopkinson focuses entirely on cooking mouth-watering recipes without meat or fish. Using fresh good-quality produce and combining appropriate ingredients in season are key to Simon Hopkinson's cooking. Invitingly, throughout the book, ingredients that go together are paired together: aubergine & pimento; tomatoes & olives; pappardelle & porcini, peaches & plums, for example. Vegetables feature strongly, of course, but there are also plenty of original ideas and gorgeous recipes for herbs, pasta, rice, pulses, eggs and dairy, fruit - and cocktails! Simplicity, practicality and sensitivity are the essence of Simon's cooking, and his recipes are a joy to make. But there is so much more to appreciate in this highly original book as the author's evocative writing brings his food to life on every page. Superbly photographed by Jason Lowe, The Vegetarian Option is not written exclusively for vegetarians, but as a fresh source of inspiration for all genuine food lovers.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
While waiting to receive this, I had a look at the reviews here for the author's previous book. Uh-oh. While generally positive, there was a lot of talk of obscure, expensive ingredients, and an inflexible approach. I hoped that The Vegetarian Option would not be like that.
Luckily, so far I have found it very usable! The recipes I have tried have, without exception, come out just as they ought to, and you can buy almost everything you really need at Tesco. It's not like the Nigella books where I find that recipes are often structured around one hard-to-find ingredient. My favourite success was the pilaf rice, made by a method so surprisingly simple and fairly fast that I wondered whther it would really work. It made me proud - fluffy and dry and fragrant! As a chef, he seems to be keen on simple but innovative methods - hence the inclusion of gnocchi alla Romana, a milk and semolina gnocchi bake recipe, different to the kind we usually see in recipe books (though a legit gnocchi recipe all the same).
I am also pleased to see that Simon Hopkinson includes recipes to make up your own store-cupboard base ingredients or condiments, such as green paste, garlic butter, ginger syrup, sesame paste, a garlic creme fraiche puree, a masala paste and a curry "essence"... Very handy - you can make up large quantities and keep them for another time. Many of them are used in more than one recipe in the book. Don't be put off by the idea of making everything from scratch, though - I left out the green paste for the pilaf rice and added cardamom instead; it was still delicious, just different.
In terms of influences, the recipes range from traditional English, French, Greek, Italian, Indian, Chinese, and many more, as well as comfort food like macaroni and cheese. Lots of variety rather than the endless combinations of mushrooms, goats' cheese and sundried tomatoes which have taken over the vegetarian option in restaurants everywhere. The book is laid out by groups of ingredients, with an overview and tips at the start of each section.
Simon Hopkinson is not a vegetarian himself and it's not a book of pale substitutes, either - I would recommend this book to people no matter whether they eat meat or not; if anything, it will be really useful if you have vegetarian guests and want to make something that everyone can gladly enjoy together.
Luckily, so far I have found it very usable! The recipes I have tried have, without exception, come out just as they ought to, and you can buy almost everything you really need at Tesco. It's not like the Nigella books where I find that recipes are often structured around one hard-to-find ingredient. My favourite success was the pilaf rice, made by a method so surprisingly simple and fairly fast that I wondered whther it would really work. It made me proud - fluffy and dry and fragrant! As a chef, he seems to be keen on simple but innovative methods - hence the inclusion of gnocchi alla Romana, a milk and semolina gnocchi bake recipe, different to the kind we usually see in recipe books (though a legit gnocchi recipe all the same).
I am also pleased to see that Simon Hopkinson includes recipes to make up your own store-cupboard base ingredients or condiments, such as green paste, garlic butter, ginger syrup, sesame paste, a garlic creme fraiche puree, a masala paste and a curry "essence"... Very handy - you can make up large quantities and keep them for another time. Many of them are used in more than one recipe in the book. Don't be put off by the idea of making everything from scratch, though - I left out the green paste for the pilaf rice and added cardamom instead; it was still delicious, just different.
In terms of influences, the recipes range from traditional English, French, Greek, Italian, Indian, Chinese, and many more, as well as comfort food like macaroni and cheese. Lots of variety rather than the endless combinations of mushrooms, goats' cheese and sundried tomatoes which have taken over the vegetarian option in restaurants everywhere. The book is laid out by groups of ingredients, with an overview and tips at the start of each section.
Simon Hopkinson is not a vegetarian himself and it's not a book of pale substitutes, either - I would recommend this book to people no matter whether they eat meat or not; if anything, it will be really useful if you have vegetarian guests and want to make something that everyone can gladly enjoy together.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I was amazed this was offered as a Vine title, as I would imagine people would be queuing up to review this anyway. The author has written two previous titles that I enjoyed (the 'Chicken' recipe books) and this is in a similar vein.
It's not JUST vegetarian options - some of the dishes are clearly side dishes - and this is why I think it's going to be popular with meat and fish-eaters too. Quite simple, classic recipes, but using vegetables I'd never cooked with before. Unlike most recipe books published nowadays, there isn't a photograph to accompany each dish, but this doesn't really matter, as just reading the list of ingredients should be enough to tempt the appetite.
If you'd like to get in the habit of eating more beg, or are thinking about having more meat-free meals, this is a great title to buy. It's not as comprehensive as the 'classic' vegetarian cookbooks, but it's a good starter. Oh, see what I did there ?!
It's not JUST vegetarian options - some of the dishes are clearly side dishes - and this is why I think it's going to be popular with meat and fish-eaters too. Quite simple, classic recipes, but using vegetables I'd never cooked with before. Unlike most recipe books published nowadays, there isn't a photograph to accompany each dish, but this doesn't really matter, as just reading the list of ingredients should be enough to tempt the appetite.
If you'd like to get in the habit of eating more beg, or are thinking about having more meat-free meals, this is a great title to buy. It's not as comprehensive as the 'classic' vegetarian cookbooks, but it's a good starter. Oh, see what I did there ?!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This book is divided into chapters dedicated to a particular vegetable so it is good to refer to if you are looking for something to do with, say, beetroot or parsnip and some of the ideas are unusual eg aubergine with pesto. However, the recipies are such that I would use this book for starter dishes or accompanying vegetables rather than as the basis for a vegetarian meal in itself. It is only the last few recipies that I would say fall into this category.
So if you are looking for ideas to cook specific veg or for interesting dishes to go along side something else, then this is the book for you. For vegetarians themselves, however, I think it would be of limited use.
So if you are looking for ideas to cook specific veg or for interesting dishes to go along side something else, then this is the book for you. For vegetarians themselves, however, I think it would be of limited use.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Meat Free and loving it
I love this book. A friend of mine loaned it to me as I was thinking of changing my food habits. I have always loved veggies but never really ate them any way but plain. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Red Rose
Not for me
I think this is aimed at dinner party menus, such as tomato jelly & asparagus custards. It has lots of nice ideas for vegetable dishes that would be good as a side dish but not... Read more
Published 3 months ago by P Ehrlich
A delicious selection of food to eat, read or dream about
This is a wonderful stand-alone book on the vegetarian option, providing information and recipes on a cornucopia of choices including vegetables, fruits, rices, pasta, nuts and... Read more
Published 7 months ago by lis247
excellent read
some vegetarian cookbooks have an evangelical feel, not this one its a good read, with interesting recipes and a very interesting view point, one which seems to taken up more and... Read more
Published 7 months ago by E. Walker
For vegetables more than vegetarians
There are undoubtedly some lovely recipes in this book, including some interesting ideas for what to do with familiar vegetables, and suggestions for less common ingredients such... Read more
Published 10 months ago by nicola1459
Interesting selection of recipes
I was initially put off this book owing to the number of low star reviews but then I came across a copy in Waitrose and after spending a few minutes leafing through it resolved to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Marand
Vegetarian?
I thought that vegetarian was without meat. Or did I never understood what vegetarian is? I can also make a lovely 'vegetarian' risotto with chicken broth. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Corinne
If you are sick of rissotto.....
Well vegetarians, if you are tired of being offered the choice of goats cheese tart or mushroom rissotto whenever you go out for dinner, ten maybe just stay at home with Simon... Read more
Published 13 months ago by DelWij
A broad overview of vegetable dishes but lacking enough recipes on...
`The Vegetarian Option' by Simon Hopkinson is a beautifully presented cookbook: it has colourful pictures which serve to illustrate selected recipes and to divide the book into its... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Toast
Vegetarians beware!
Prospective purchasers of "The Vegetarian Option" need to be aware that while Simon Hopkinson may know and appreciate his vegetables, the ethos and reasons behind vegetarianism... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Steve Benner
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