In NOPI, Yotam Ottolenghi shares the global flavors of one of his acclaimed London restaurants.
Roasted wedges of squash and roasted slices of eggplant: these are two bad boys that have been around the Ottolenghi delis and NOPI restaurant for a very long time. Any new player has to have very good credentials to gain the respect of the old-timers and get a shot on the menu. The combination here of sweet roasted squash with lime-fresh yogurt and gingery oven-dried tomatoes was deemed to cut the mustard.
Ready-made crispy fried shallots can be found in Asian food stores. They’re a nice addition but, with the crunch already provided by the cashews, the dish can stand well without them, if you prefer.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 465°F (425°F convection).
- Mix the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, and a good grind of black pepper. Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 340°F/170°C (300°F/150°C convection).
- Place the tomato halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and cook for 80 minutes, until softened.
- Place the ginger, chile, garlic, sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Mix to form a paste, then spoon this on top of the tomatoes. Cook for another 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are caramelized and set aside to cool.
- Place all the ingredients for the lime yogurt in a small bowl, with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Spread the squash out on a large platter and layer the tomatoes in between. Drizzle over the lime yogurt, sprinkle with the cilantro, cashews, and shallots, and serve.
Reprinted with permission from Nopi, copyright © 2015 by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
