London chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi’s second cookbook Plenty (Ebury Press, 2010) was released in the U.S. last week but, thanks to a friend in Europe, I’ve had the pleasure of cooking from his colorful book since last fall. “Pleasure” remains the key word for, thus far, every recipe that I’ve tried has been a delight to make and eat.

Inspired by the “New Vegetarian column” that Ottolenghi writes for London’s Guardian newspaper, Plenty focuses on vegetables and how to cook them in flavorful, creative ways. Many of the preparations are quite simple — roasting Jerusalem artichokes or poaching baby carrots doesn’t take a lot of time or effort. Yet, because of Ottolenghi’s thoughtful use of seasonings and inventive pairing of flavors, I end up with fabulous tasting vegetables.

Plenty brims with close-up, full-page, color photographs of each dish. These beautiful photos not only illustrate but also inspire different takes on the proffered vegetables. One glance at the vibrant “tomato party” or “Tamara’s ratatouille” and I start thinking of additions and pairings for these recipes. Chances are that you will, too.

Unlike the majority of cookbooks, Plenty is not organized according to course. Instead each chapter features a favorite, frequently Mediterranean ingredient of the Israeli-born Ottolenghi. “Funny Onions” showcases leeks, garlic and shallots while “Green Things” hones in on cucumbers, artichokes, asparagus and okra. Not limited to vegetables, the book also offers sections on cereals, pastas and pulses. In fact, “Fruit with Cheese” presents just that — figs, peaches, quinces, pears, dates and watermelon all partnered with different cheeses.

Since many of the recipes call for dairy products, I wouldn’t classify this as a vegetarian cookbook. Nonetheless, Plenty should win over “pragmatic vegetarians,” as the omnivore Ottolenghi refers to his readers, as well as those searching for a new vegetable appetizer, side or entree. Some recipes do work, though, for strict vegetarians and vegans. Multi-vegetable paella, Tamara’s ratatouille and soba noodles with aubergine and mango are three such dishes. Unfortunately, most of my favorites, such as caramelized garlic tart with its goat cheese-egg-creme fraiche-heavy cream filling, will not.