Root: Small Vegetable Plates, a Little Meat on the Side

Howell, chef at Bristol, England, eatery Root, debuts with a delectable mix of vegetable-forward recipes. Rather than being vegan or vegetarian, his dishes sometimes include meat, but keep vegetables at the forefront. Vibrant colors abound, especially when beets (or beetroot, as it’s called in the U.K. and here) are added to the mix. A five-day fermentation process brings tang to beets with blackberries, hazelnuts, and seaweed, while walnuts, oats, and four types of seeds provide a crunchy texture to salt-baked beets with turnips, smoked yogurt, and savory walnut granola. A chapter of meat and fish dishes is packed with mouth-watering options, such as fried duck egg on beef dripping toast with ox tongue sauce, and marmite and maple-glazed lamb sweetbreads. Those with less adventurous palates will appreciate the cheese chapter with its toasted fruit loaf served with Tunworth cheese, and several fun desserts like carrot jam–filled doughnuts. (Home cooks should come prepared with a scale that measures in grams, as instructions use only metric measurements.) These bold dishes may be small in size, but they’re big in heart and flavor. (May)