Inside Ottolenghi’s Food Empire: Tahini, Charred Eggplant and Green Shakshuka

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Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, part of the team behind Yotam Ottolenghi’s food empire, discuss the world of Palestinian cooking—from za’atar to what makes great tahini. Plus, we chat with Gail Simmons about life behind the scenes at “Top Chef”; we make seared pork tenderloin with smoked paprika; and we discuss hidden food meanings with Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way With Words.”

This episode is brought to you by Master Class.

Questions in this Episode:

“My vegetable traybake comes out better when I use parchment paper. Does the parchment surface do something that the plain pan doesn’t?”

“I love Thai tea but caffeine makes my heart race. For years I have searched for a way to make it at home with decaffeinated tea leaves to no avail. All I can find are mixes, which never identify the kind of tea used or the flavorings. Can you help me out?”

“When my family and I took a trip to Paris two summers ago, we had Ficelle au Chocolat. Can you help me figure out how to make this?”

“My question is about cinnamon rolls. When I make them and shape them and put them in a pan the day before, they look normal, but when I pull them out to thaw there’s like a syrup that pools at the bottom of the pan. Why does that happen?”

“We got several portions of pastured pork from a friend and it is incredibly gamy tasting. I have a few large ham hocks that have been brined and frozen and I have no idea what to do with them. Is there a way to reduce this gaminess or cover it up?”