Chef and restaurateur Josh Katz is the new king of the barbecue – and it’s not just meat that gets graced with smoke and flame to emerge as something more than the sum of its parts… This meatless sharing menu is a flavour-packed triumph

VIS FOR VEGETARIAN

Book of the month.

Cauliflower shawarma with pomegranate and pine nuts

PHOTOGRAPHS JAMES MURPHY FOOD STYLING AYA NISHIMURA STYLING JO HARRIS

JOSH’S MEAT-FREE MENU FOR 6-8

Confit cherry tomatoes with honeyed feta haydari & pickled za’atar

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Cauliflower shawarma with pomegranate and pine nuts

Charred carrots with spiced nuts & lime yogurt

Kale, asparagus & broad bean tabbouleh

Hasselback potatoes with red tahina & soured cream

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Bamba mousse with salted caramel & sesame tuiles

“The way I cook is an extension of my philosophy on life. We burn things or lightly char them round the edges on purpose. We don’t do precise but we always do things right. Our food is simple, honest and always punches above its weight. We do loud colours and big, bold flavours, underpinned by solid technique that’s neither fancy nor overly fussy. When done right, enjoying good food is about leaving your worries behind, then going back out into the world feeling better about life.”JOSH KATZ

MEET JOSH

Josh grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb, the youngest child to South African parents. He trained at Le Cordon Bleu before finding his spiritual home working with Yotam Ottolenghi. In 2015 he and business partner Mattia Bianchi opened Berber & Q restaurant, which Josh describes as “owned by a Jewish Londoner and an Italian Catholic serving Arabic-inspired, North African/ Middle Eastern/ American barbecue food out of a railway arch in east London”. He and Mattia have since opened Berber & Q Shawarma Bar and Spitalfields Market Kitchens. This is Josh’s first cookbook.

Confit cherry tomatoes with honeyed feta haydari & pickled za’atar

SERVES 6-8 AS A STARTER. HANDS-ON TIME 40 MIN, OVEN TIME 25-30 MIN

“Confit tomatoes are an item that I like to have in reserve in my fridge. Delicate, sweet and intense in flavour, they work well in salads, but also with most fish, meat and vegetables. They make for a fast and simple mezze, spooned onto a plate as is or paired with a creamy side, such as a whipped feta haydari (my version of the classic yogurt dip), labneh or crème fraîche. The infused confit oil makes a great base for dressings, too.”

MAKE AHEAD

Store the confit tomatoes, submerged in oil, in a large sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. The pangrattato will keep in a sealed jar for up to 5 days.

KNOWHOW

Za’atar (or zahter) is a wild Turkish herb from the same family as oregano and thyme.

It’s used in the dried spice blend of the same name but shouldn’t be confused with it. The leaves of the herb are often preserved in a mix of sunflower oil and vinegar. You can buy pickled za’atar/zahter online from belazu.com or ottolenghi.co.uk.

• 350g cherry tomatoes

• 1 tbsp salt

• 1 tsp crushed black pepper

• 3 fresh thyme sprigs

• 2 fresh oregano sprigs

• 1 fresh rosemary sprig

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 dried red chillies

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• Extra-virgin olive oil to cover