<p>I just ordered this cookbook from Amazon. I would love CC feedback on their experiences? From glancing at a few of the recipes I can see the need for a lot of new spices.</p>
<p>I would be interested in hearing about this as well. My son just returned from a month long study abroad in Jerusalem and misses the food.</p>
<p>Yotam Ottolenghi is the current darling of the food world. I think he is based in London. I have his previous cookbook, Plenty, and his vegetarian dishes are inventive and excellent. They can be elaborate so read through the ingredients, make substitute as needed and they still turn out well. If you have access to a Mediterranean/Mid-East grocery store, you are all set. My secret ingredient is Zaatar, a mixture of prepared spices that I use liberally as substitute. I want to work through Plenty first before buying his next cookbook Jerusalem.</p>
<p>I love* Plenty<a href=“which%20I%20bought%20for%20its%20cover%20at%20an%20art%20museum”>/I</a>. I don’t own Jerusalem, but have made [roasted</a> cauliflower hazelnut salad | Love and Lemons](<a href=“http://www.loveandlemons.com/2012/10/16/roasted-cauliflower-hazelnut-salad-jerusalem/]roasted”>Roasted Cauliflower Hazelnut Salad Recipe - Love and Lemons) this when I was looking for things to do with cauliflower. It’s yummy and very different.</p>
<p>The cookbook is not over-rated and very accurately reflects the essence of the blend of cuisine. </p>
<p>You need to experiment with cumin, coriander, aleppo pepper, probably cardamom. Coriander mixed with cumin is a real favorite; the coriander adds an almost acidic brightness while cumin adds depth, particularly when garlic and/or onion is involved. Penzey’s is a good source if you don’t have local fresh spice stores.</p>
<p>A simple example from the book. They describe a basic parsley and barley salad but they get something right that many cookbooks for the region don’t: you need a lot of parsley. And it isn’t oil-drenched. Which makes me hungry because the best Lebanese cook around here retired and now there’s no more of her tabouleh or fattoush (complete with the warning about having to eat it without waiting).</p>
<p>The turkey and zucchini meatball with yogurt sauce recipe in Jerusalem will change your life.</p>
<p>I love that book though I’ve only tried the simpler recipes and skipped the ones where the list of ingredients is as long as the page. The Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion with Tahini and Za’atar is absolutely delicious. Can’t remember what else I’ve cooked from it, but everything’s been very good, though generally more time-consuming than I want to take on on a weeknight.</p>
<p>I am planning on trying the turkey meatballs this weekend. I need to find sumac for the sauce.</p>
<p>If you are in NYC area Fairway carries sumac. So does Williams Sonoma, though I don’t know if every outlet would have it. You can use lemon zest for taste and paprika for color and get a rough approximation of the taste.</p>
<p>Mathmom- central Ca. Thank you. Whole foods did not have it but I will check the regular grocery chain and if not William Sonoma is in te same parking lot.</p>
<p>Penzeys Spices (mail order, and also many retail outlets) has sumac.</p>
<p>[Spices</a> at Penzeys Spices Sumac](<a href=“http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyssumac.html]Spices”>Sumac Berries | Penzeys)</p>
<p>Visited two grocery stores, the local spice store and finally found sumac at William Sonoma.
Cardinal Fang- I have never ordered from Penzeys but after all the CC references over the year I think I will try them. I think there will be other spices in Jeruselem that I can’t find locally.
Tonight I will try Roasted eggplant with fried onion and chopped lemon along with the turkey meatballs. At least I hope I will. Going on 24 hours with no water.</p>
<p>If you have an Indian market anywhere, they’ll have most of the spices.</p>
<p>Okay, I’m in. I just did a Google search for the turkey zucchini meatball recipe from the cookbook and there are quite a few blogs that posted the recipe and photos of the dish the bloggers’ made – including burgers and meatballs. This website has adapted the recipe as well, and I think I can post it since it’s not a blog.</p>
<p>[Spicy</a> Turkey and Zucchini Burger Recipe | Simply Recipes](<a href=“http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spicy_turkey_and_zucchini_burger/]Spicy”>Spicy Turkey and Zucchini Burger Recipe)</p>
<p>Tried the turkey zucchini burger, it’s excellent and I usually hate ground turkey dish. If you can’t find sumac for the sauce, it’s still fine, just increase the lemon juice and zest. This is one of his less complicated recipes, can be made ahead as appetizer meat balls. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>I converted the turkey and zucchini burger/meatball recipe to meatloaf last night, because making meatballs is too big a PITA for everyday. Turned out pretty well, though the meatballs/burgers are better (saut</p>