Very Good Salads

Very Good Salads is a seasonal cookbook filled with delicious salads, vegetable dishes and dips to accompany the ultimate falafel recipe. Very Good Salads is filled with more than 50 Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired recipes that showcase the best seasonal produce, with an emphasis on vegetarian and vegan dishes. From Shuki Rosenboim and Louisa Allan, the team behind cult-favorite Very Good Falafel in Melbourne, Australia, this seasonal cookbook includes veggie-filled plates, salads, dips, pita and pickles, alongside the best chickpea falafel recipe. Each dish makes use of the whole vegetable, with classic and less-expected pairings such as watermelon salad with za’atar, radish and fried pita; freekeh and hazelnut; and grilled leek with pomegranate, walnuts, spring onion, mint, dill and lemon zest; as well as larger offerings such as silverbeet rice cake and stuffed tomatoes with saffron rice and dried mint. In addition, the book shares recipes for traditional dips and the ultimate pita recipe that produces flawless bread to stuff or serve alongside salads and share plates. It’s simple, classic fare, but food that has earned Shuki and Louisa a place in Melbourne restaurant royalty. This beautiful cookbook is the perfect gift for salad fiends, vegetable lovers, wholefood cooks and those looking for new and creative ways to enjoy the best seasonal produce.

After years selling homemade dips, sauces, and falafels at farmers’ markets around Victoria, Louisa Allan’s and Shuki Rosenboim’s food proved so popular that they set up permanent shop on Melbourne’s vibrant Sydney Road and have never looked back. With Israeli heritage and a shared love of Middle Eastern street food, it made sense for Louisa and Shuki to share their passion through their small café, which has since become a Melbourne institution. Louisa’s dad grows chickpeas in the country, rounding out the farm to plate story. With a cult following and legendary falafel status, Louisa and Shuki are two of Melbourne’s most popular food creators.