Yotam Ottolenghi
The difference between brown and white rice is that the former is not milled. With the outer bran and germ intact, the rice is therefore chewier and nuttier.
Buckwheat, like Marmite and durian, is a seriously divisive foodstuff, so it needs a seriously capable defence team if it's ever going to make it on to most people's dinner tables.
Though not a true cereal but a fruit, buckwheat seeds resemble cereal grains and are often used in a similar way to rice, barley, bulgar or quinoa, usually as a side dish.
Verjuice may not be the easiest thing in the world to find, but you should be able to track some down in good delis and online.
I have yet to meet a carnivore who doesn't love a sausage roll.
Many ingredients are called 'earthy,' but none comes as close to fitting the bill as buckwheat. I'm mildly obsessed with the stuff.
It's well worth making your own harissa, but there are some very good commercial varieties.
Jerusalem artichokes have a great affinity with nuts. I love them with chopped walnuts or almonds, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and plenty of olive oil.
Sea spaghetti looks like dark fettuccine and has a similar texture - you can get it in health food stores or online.
My secret with kale is to add lots of sweet or sharp flavours to offset some of that grassy intensity.
The combination of lentils with rice or bulgur is the absolute height of Levantine comfort food. I could eat it every day.
I rarely cook traditional risotto, but I love other grains cooked similarly - barley, spelt or split wheat. I find they have more character than rice and absorb other flavours more wholeheartedly.
Steaming maintains some of the aubergine flesh's texture, which doesn't happen if you cook it in any other way.
I adore recipes that make use of one cut of meat or a whole animal to create a complex dish, loaded with flavour.
Chinese sausage, which is widely available from Asian grocers and online, is sweet, rich, and enticingly smoky. I add it to steamed rice with strips of omelette and a few baby veg stir-fried with soy.
New-season lamb shoulder, cooked pink, is the perfect platform for a mixture of fresh and cooked herbs.
I love dishes that feature the various shades of a single colour, making you stop to check what's in there.
Urfa chillies are a Turkish variety that are mild on heat but big on aroma. They're sweet, smoky, a lovely dark red, and go with just about anything.
Salbitxada is a sharp and lightly sweet Catalan sauce that's traditionally served with calcots - spring or salad onions, grilled whole, make a good substitute.
Celery leaves are an underused ingredient, most likely because supermarkets sell mostly leafless stalks.
A well-made salad must have a certain uniformity; it should make perfect sense for those ingredients to share a bowl.
Braising eggs in a flavoursome, aromatic sauce is all the rage. It is warming and comforting, ideal for the morning when you are not normally up for a great culinary challenge.
Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock.
Some heat, some spice and plenty of citrus are the building blocks of many North African fish dishes.
Almost every culture has its own variation on chicken soup, and rightly so - it's one of the most gratifying dishes on the face of the Earth.
After all these years of cooking and writing recipes, I am still amazed every time I notice how even the minutest of variation in technique can make a spectacular difference.
I've been accused of having very long ingredient lists, and I guess there's some truth in that.
Forget mung beans' reputation as healthy yet bland - used right, they soak up loads of flavour.
I have been cooking with preserved lemon for years, using it left, right and centre, but I am still far from reaching my limit.
Date syrup is a natural sweetener that has wonderful richness and treacly depth; I drizzle it over semolina porridge.
Tossing doughnuts, fritters or fried dumplings in fennel sugar adds grown-up complexity without diminishing the indulgence factor.
A great ratatouille is one in which the vegetables interact with each other but are still discernible from each other. The trick is to cook them just right: not over, not under.
Marinating chicken in miso adds lots of character to the meat with little work.
Sorrel adds a unique grassy sharpness to salads and dressings, but it can be hard to come by.
On some subconscious level, I've been prejudiced against turnips, parsnips, swedes and other roots. Do they taste of much? Are they really special? How wrong I was.
Kibbeh comes in all forms, but most feature bulgur and meat.
Leeks are normally given the job of flavouring other things, such as stocks and soups, but I find their creaminess and sweet, oniony flavour very satisfying.
It's hard to beat the rough texture of steel-cut oats, with their slight resistance against the teeth.
Agave nectar is a good substitute for refined sugars. It has a relatively low glycaemic index, which means it doesn't cause quick rises in blood sugar levels. It also has a nice, mild flavour.
Breakfast is always the best time for something juicy, sweet and fresh - it just feels like the right way to open the day. There's no right way, though, when it comes to choosing the fruit.
Normally, when congee is served, the different condiments and garnishes are placed in little bowls on the side so diners can make their own personal creations.
Mackerel is sustainable and healthy.
Apart from its famous healing properties, manuka has a strong, woody flavour.
A great fig should look like it's just about to burst its skin. When squeezed lightly it should give a little and not spring back. It must be almost unctuously sweet, soft and wet.
Pizza was made for television in so many ways: it is easy to heat up, easy to divide and easy to eat in a group. It is easy to enjoy, easy to digest and easy-going. It is so Italian!
You can really taste the difference between a shop-bought and a good homemade mayo.
Many people struggle to make hummus that lives up to their expectations at home, and recreating a favourite brand or the stuff from your local deli is almost impossible.
Gooseberries aren't just for creamy desserts and pies.
Chermoula is a potent North African spice paste that is ideal for smearing on your favourite vegetables for roasting.