Vegetarian All Year Round

London-based Anna Jones cooks vegetarian food that is surprising, and her recipes are anything but difficult to make. In her new book Vegetarian All Year Round, she takes the reader on a delicious journey through the seasons, although when cooking she is guided mainly by her instincts.

For Anna Jones, the distinction between seasons is much subtler than simply spring, summer, autumn and winter. At the beginning of spring, after all, the ingredients are different from when summer makes its entrance. In addition, the first French apricots become available at a slightly different time each year. In short, the best day for an ingredient varies. Jones sees the seasons as a useful tool, but is guided primarily by her senses and her instincts.

Cooking by instinct

Jones: ‘It’s about the flavour being at its best, but above all it’s about a moment, a place and the memory of summers, Christmas days and days gone by that we taste again in every bite.’ Relatable. In summer, I often have little desire to cook elaborate meals. I prefer to eat simple, fresh salads, pasta dishes and stir-fries that require as little effort as possible. In winter, on the other hand, I would happily spend the entire day in the kitchen with a tall stack of cookbooks beside me. Stewing, baking, trying out new recipes… When it’s cold outside, on a day off the stove is invariably filled with pans gently simmering away.

A central place

In Vegetarian All Year Round, as the title suggests, you’ll find more than 250 vegetarian recipes, but that doesn’t make it a cookbook for vegetarians. For Jones, it is particularly important that we put less strain on the planet than we have done all these years. Eating less meat or fish is an important part of that – and it’s easier than you think. If you follow the seasons, vegetables and fruit naturally take centre stage. And you don’t have to go to the market every Saturday if you don’t feel like it. Quite the contrary. ‘The more often we buy honest, local and seasonal products from the supermarket, the more they will stock, so with every purchase you make a difference,’ says Jones.

Basic recipes

The cookbook concludes with a chapter full of basic recipes that are suitable for every time of year. From labneh to yoghurt flatbreads and from perfectly cooked pulses to homemade nut, oat or seed milk. Another nice thing: almost all the dishes in Vegetarian All Year Round can be prepared within an hour. Now that’s something I like; after all, it’s not winter yet. Intrigued? Get your shopping list ready for these flatbreads with harissa, lime and halloumi, the vanilla pancakes with blackberries and saffron yoghurt and this crostata with Swiss chard, leek and walnuts.

Title: Vegetarian All Year Round
Author: Anna Jones
Publisher: Fontaine Uitgevers
Price: €34,99