Berber&Q: On Vegetables by Josh Katz – Hardback Cookbook

Berber&Q: On Vegetables is a 208-page hardback by Josh Katz, the Ottolenghi-trained chef behind London's Berber & Q grill house, with more than 100 recipes that put vegetables on the fire and pack them with North African and Middle Eastern flavour. Every dish also has a conventional kitchen method, so you can cook it without a barbecue.

Vegetables, cooked like they mean it

Josh Katz built a reputation grilling meat over coals in London, then turned the same fire and spice on vegetables. The result is a book where a charred cabbage or smoky aubergine is the main event, not the side. Bold dressings, spice dustings and sweet-sour sauces do the heavy lifting.

What's inside

Recipes are grouped by cooking method, including chapters such as Grilled & Charred, Slow-Cooked & Braised and Wood-Fired & Baked, alongside smoking and pickling. Katz explains quick scorches, flashes of grill heat and long, low roasts, with marinades, spice mixes and dressings for each.

Highlights include Leek & Muhammara Lahmacun with chilli yoghurt, Romano Beans with tahina and egg, a grapefruit, avocado and gorgonzola salad, burnt aubergine with tahina, smoky aubergine with pomegranate molasses, and grilled halloumi with pineapple ketchup.

Who it's for

Barbecue cooks who want better sides, vegetarians tired of the token grilled corn, and anyone cooking for a mixed crowd. It's great on a kettle or kamado but works just as well in the oven.

About Josh Katz

Josh Katz trained with Yotam Ottolenghi before opening Berber & Q, a grill house in London known for smoke, spice and Middle Eastern flavour. His cooking draws on his travels from London to North Africa and the Middle East. This follows his first book, Berber & Q.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

The Smuggler swears by this one, and he's a brisket man. Josh Katz treats vegetables the way pitmasters treat pork: fire, smoke, spice and a sauce that makes you go back for more. The Leek & Muhammara Lahmacun is the one that got Darryl, all smoky peppers and walnuts on a blistered base. Buy it and the sides will start outshining the meat. Pair it with The Green Barbecue Cookbook for more plant-based fire and How to Grill Vegetables for the techniques. Brush some Flavour & Spice Moroccan Harissa on your carrots and see who notices.

Questions answered

Who wrote Berber&Q: On Vegetables?

It was written by Josh Katz, the Ottolenghi-trained chef and founder of London's Berber & Q grill house.

How many recipes are in Berber&Q: On Vegetables?

There are more than 100 vegetable recipes, grouped by method such as grilled and charred, slow-cooked and braised, and wood-fired and baked.

Is Berber&Q: On Vegetables good for beginners?

Yes. The methods are clearly explained, and every dish includes a conventional kitchen method as well as the barbecue version.

Is Berber&Q: On Vegetables a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 208-page hardback published by Kyle Books in 2022.

Is Berber&Q: On Vegetables vegetarian?

It's built around vegetables as the hero of each dish, so it's a great fit for vegetarians, but check individual recipes for ingredients like anchovies or honey.