Los Angeles native and now UK-based chef Jesse Jenkins became a viral sensation when the cinematic-style cooking videos on his social media account ADIP (Another Day in Paradise) took off.
His debut cookbook focuses on making vegetables the star of the show, taking influence from the flavours around the world, including Mexico, Korea and Guatemala.
Here are three recipes to make the most of vegetables this summer.
Smashed cucumber Caesar
"When the process of breaking something creates unformed beauty, it is incredibly satisfying. If it also has a practical function, I’m sold," says Jenkins.
"The jagged texture of the cucumber here creates more surface area to grab onto sauce and toppings. I learned the technique while making oi muchim, a Korean spicy cucumber salad, and have used it ever since. This version goes full Caesar, and it’s totally delicious."
Serves 4
- 3 cucumbers, washed
- 3tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, bashed (skin on)
- 4 thyme sprigs
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Handful of chives, thinly sliced
- Handful of parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
For the dressing:
- 4-6 tinned anchovy fillets in oil, crushed to a paste
- 25g Parmesan cheese, grated with microplane grater
- 1 egg yolk
- 15g Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1tsp Tabasco
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- Smash the whole cucumbers using the flat side of a large knife until they start to break down, then roughly chop them into uneven, large bite-sized pieces. Put them in a colander over a bowl with a good pinch of salt, mix well and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the breadcrumbs in the olive oil in a frying pan with the garlic cloves and thyme till golden brown. Remove from the heat and season with salt and the lemon zest while hot, then set aside.
- You can make the dressing in the same way as you would a mayonnaise, putting all the ingredients other than the oil into a bowl and mixing well, then slowly streaming in all the oil, whisking constantly throughout. Otherwise, blend all the ingredients at once in a blender (I often blend it). Check for seasoning.
- Drain the cucumbers, then add them to the dressing with half the herbs. Mix well, then finish with the toasted breadcrumbs and the rest of the herbs.
Miso-glazed courgette
"Nasu dengaku – miso-glazed aubergine – is one of my favourite dishes, and I’ve adapted the Japanese recipe for courgettes," says Jenkins. "Achieving the perfect aubergine dish usually involves deep-frying, resulting in a confit-like texture inside, which is wonderful but too indulgent for me, at least for regular consumption.
"This technique for cooking courgettes yields a similarly tender texture without the need for deep-frying. The miso glaze, traditionally made with mirin, sake and sugar, can be simplified using honey and miso for a delicious outcome. It’s a great sharing dish, but we often have it in individual portions with steamed rice and carrot and ginger-dressed salad."
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side
- 2 courgettes
- Neutral oil (I use rapeseed), for pan-frying
- 1tbsp white miso paste (or to taste)
- 1tbsp honey (or to taste)
- White sesame seeds
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt
- Spring onions, trimmed and chopped, to serve
- Halve the courgettes lengthways and score each half in a crisscross pattern – you want the flavour to be able to get in there, so cut about halfway through. Season them with salt, rubbing it into the cuts thoroughly, then place them cut side down on a paper towel for 30 minutes – this will extract excess water, helping them tenderise without falling apart when cooked.
- Dry the courgettes thoroughly and heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the courgettes to the pan cut side down and fry for 5-10 minutes, until golden, then flip and baste them with the oil for a few more minutes, so they cook through evenly. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to drain, then place the courgettes cut side up on a baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7.
- Whisk the miso paste, honey and a splash of water in a bowl until smooth and spreadable. Taste for seasoning, adjusting to your preference based on the saltiness of the miso, then spread a thin layer of the miso glaze over the cut side of the courgettes and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Bake for 7-10 minutes, ensuring the sesame seeds don’t burn, until the glaze has caramelised.
- Mix a little lemon juice into the remaining miso glaze. Spread it on a plate, place the courgettes on top, and garnish with chopped spring onions. Enjoy!
Kimchi pasta puttanesca
"I often make this with tinned tuna and anchovies, but it’s great without them. Kimchi is another funky, briny flavour that happily sits alongside the capers and olives," says Jenkins. "Almost all the intense flavour comes from vegetables (technically fruits, if you want to be annoying) that have been cooked or prepared in a way that homes in on their best qualities and makes them shine."
Serves 4
- 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 6 tinned anchovy fillets in oil
- 1tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 2tbsp pitted olives (Italian black olives or whatever you prefer)
- 2tbsp capers, drained
- 300g roughly-cut kimchi, plus 1tbsp brine
- 1tbsp white wine vinegar
- Pinch of caster sugar
- 100g tinned tuna in spring water, drained
- 300-400g spaghetti
To serve (optional)
- Handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, then add the tomatoes and onion and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until you can pop the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. Add the garlic and anchovy and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant, using the back of your spoon or a fork to break down the anchovy into the sauce.
- Add the chilli flakes, olives, capers, kimchi and brine, vinegar, sugar and tuna and cook for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. You just want the last additions to be warmed through but not lose their bright, briny flavour.
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of seasoned boiling water till al dente, then mix it through the sauce with a little of the pasta cooking water. You can add some parsley and fresh lemon juice before serving.
Extracted from Cooking With Vegetables by Jesse Jenkins, photography by Jesse Jenkins, available now.
