TWO RAW SISTERS, ALLEN & UNWIN, $45
Salad has come a long way. To prove this (if that were needed) the Two Raw Sisters – aka Margo and Rosa Flanagan from Christchurch – are back with a book crammed with vege goodness. In fact, to call it Salad doesn’t do the book justice, but ‘plant-based mains and sides’ doesn’t have quite the ring. There are 70 dishes here for every season, with platters of crispy, crunchy fresh veges, and veges that are roasted, charred and grilled, stir fried and baked. There’s even a sweet section – though no ‘fruit salad’ in sight – featuring a truly startling beetroot avo mud cake with peanut butter and raspberries. There are plates where veges are the prima donna, and lots where they share the billing with grains, legumes, noodles, nuts and seeds. And for those trying to eat less meat, what better way than to start your planning with the veges, then add meat as a side. So if your vege repertoire is looking a bit tired, refresh with sumac roasted cauliflower with pomegranate caper salsa and tahini, scatter a tamari ginger crumble over carrots roasted with miso and sesame seeds, roast radishes until melting into salty sweetness, or toss around some millet, sorghum, buckwheat or bulghur for nutty, chewy texture. Drizzle, toss or dollop on a dressing from the 28 different ones on offer and carry a platter to the table. This is eminently doable at-home food but you could gripe that it’s not wildly innovative – I see lots of Ottolenghi- esque inspirations, but that gets no complaints from me. TRACY WHITMEY
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