Magenta-bright and boosted with lime, could hasselback beetroot be the dish that wins over my beet-averse husband? Flavour is the third of Ottolenghi’s vege trilogy and this time it takes a deeper look at what makes those veges just so delicious. Analysing what flavour really is, and how to create or enhance it, the authors take us through ‘process’ (the cooking methods such as charring, infusing and ageing that work wonders on our humble veg), ‘pairing’ (those matches of sweetness, fat, acidity and chilli-type heat that boost taste out of the park) and ‘produce’ (those hero veges that just cannot be ignored in the flavour stakes – mushrooms and onions, I’m looking at you). So there’s quite a lot of reading and a fair bit of science and if that doesn’t appeal then feel free to skip straight to the recipes, where you’ll find Ottolenghi trademark fare, bursting fresh, innovative and downright gorgeous. Coconut and turmeric omelettes are stuffed with herb salad then dunked in a sauce piquant with pink grapefruit and chilli; and the often maligned mushroom lasagne gets superstar billing here. I’ll let you know about those beetroots. TRACY WHITMEY