Mediterranean Chef Yotam Ottolenghi Gives Us Plenty More to Salivate Over

Ottolenghi tries to be "diplomatic" about his Middle Eastern food. Though he grew up Jewish in Israel, he doesn't strictly "define himself" or his cooking. His cuisine celebrates and unites many cultural foods, as exemplified in this lamb shawarma, an Arabic meat preparation. However open Ottolenghi is, he is a purist about one thing: hummus. The chickpeas must be boiled to the right consistency — not canned. They must be blended with tahini — not with yogurt and not with olive oil. And the hummus must be served at blood temperature. "Once you've had the best version of something, you can't have the second best," he reasons.