Jamie's Kitchen Read online

  Dedicated to my two great girls:

  Lovely Jools, the best thing that ever happened to me, and little Poppy, the best thing I’ve ever made.

  Love Dad

  X X X

  contents

  introduction

  getting yourself kitted out

  shopping tips

  now it’s your turn

  CRACKING SALADS purple potato salad

  my new best salad

  broad bean & crispy pancetta salad with a pea, pecorino & mint dressing

  moorish crunch salad

  GRATING & PEELING

  ribbon celeriac salad

  lamb’s lettuce & lychee salad with lucky squid & chilli jam

  stir-fried warm salad of prawns & baby courgettes

  warm salad of roasted squash, prosciutto & pecorino

  the proper french side salad

  fresh asian noodle salad

  COOKING WITHOUT HEAT fresh mackerel cooked in pomegranate, lime juice & tequila with a crunchy fennel salad

  SEGMENTING CITRUS FRUIT

  quick-cooked white fish with blood orange, lemongrass & sesame seeds

  citrus-seared tuna with crispy noodles, herbs & chilli

  ceviche of raw crayfish with kaffir lime leaves, chilli & ginger

  scallop spoons

  quick marinated red mullet with crispy ginger, shallots & a citrus dressing

  pomegranate & gin cocktail

  POACHING & BOILING barolo-poached fillet steak with celeriac purée

  soft-boiled egg with asparagus on toast

  spring minestrone

  roasted sweet garlic, bread & almond soup

  minted pea soup with crispy pancetta, bread & soured cream

  potato, celeriac & truffle oil soup

  handy pasta recipe

  TURNING PASTA DOUGH INTO A SHEET

  ravioli of roasted red onions, thyme, pine nuts & maris piper potato

  SHAPING INTO RAVIOLI

  SHAPING INTO CARAMELLA

  caramella of mint & ricotta

  SHAPING INTO CULURZONES

  sardinian culurzones with butternut squash & baked goat’s cheese

  SHAPING LASAGNETTI, PAPPARDELLE, TAGLIATELLE & TAGLIERINI

  pappardelle with amazing slow-cooked meat

  tagliatelle genovese

  pesto

  taglierini with a simple sweet tomato sauce & shrimps

  BLANCHING TOMATOES

  lasagnetti with chickpeas, parma ham, sage, cream & butter

  SLICING HERBS & LEAVES

  the easiest, lightest & most flexible gnocchi

  gnocchi with fresh tomato & morel sauce

  risotto

  easy chicken stock

  roast squash, sage, chestnut & pancetta risotto

  yellow bean, vodka & smoked haddock risotto

  STEAMING & COOKING IN THE BAG steamed sea bass & green beans with a white wine, vanilla, cream & garlic sauce

  steamed scallops with spiced carrots, crumbled crispy black pudding & coriander

  chinese chicken parcels

  steamed prawn wontons with red chilli & spring onion

  chinese-style steamed pork buns

  haddock baked in the bag with mussels, saffron, white wine & butter

  steamed squid

  CHOPPING & SLICING

  steamed aubergine

  skate baked in the bag with artichokes, purple potatoes, capers & crème fraîche

  STEWING & BRAISING special chicken stew

  ligurian braised rabbit & rosemary with olives & tomatoes

  moroccan lamb stew

  cod, potato & spring onion stew

  BONING A CHICKEN

  lebanese lemon chicken

  dark, sticky stew

  quick-time sausage cassoulet

  bouillabaisse

  MAKING A CARTOUCHE

  tender braised leeks with wine & thyme

  FRYING pan-seared venison loin with blueberries, shallots & red wine

  pan-fried lamb chops with puy lentils, loadsa herbs, balsamic vinegar & crème fraîche

  pan-seared scallops wrapped in pancetta with creamed celeriac

  pan-seared sole fillets with loadsa herbs, capers, butter & polenta

  FILLETING A FLAT FISH

  TRANCHING A FLAT FISH

  the best tempura lobster with dipping sauce

  deep-fried oysters with fried rocket & tomato dressing

  FILLETING A ROUND FISH

  crispy salmon with spring vegetable broth

  aïoli

  chicken liver parfait

  polenta-coated fried chicken with sweetcorn mash, fried bananas & green tomato relish

  chips

  ROASTING, POT-ROASTING & PAN-ROASTING italian-style confit of duck

  roasted radicchio

  roasted trout & artichokes with almonds, breadcrumbs & mint

  slow-roasted balsamic tomatoes with baby leeks & basil

  roasted chicken stuffed with fragrant couscous & cooked on a sweet potato stovie

  unbelievable roast pork with stuffed apples & parsnips

  roast duck with bubble & squeak & stir-fried greens

  TYING UP A BIRD

  pot-roasted guinea fowl with fennel, potatoes & blood orange

  marinated & pot-roasted beef fillet with a brilliant potato & horseradish cake

  pot-roasted shoulder of lamb with roasted butternut squash & sweet red onions

  pork loin with a great herby stuffing

  CO2

  GRILLING & CHARGRILLING the best pork chops with fresh bay salt, crackling & squashed purple potatoes

  flavoured salt

  the best marinated kebabs

  LAMB KEBABS

  CHICKEN KEBABS

  FISH KEBABS

  TURNING ROSEMARY STICKS INTO SKEWERS

  seafood mixed grill

  chargrilled marinated vegetables

  grilled marinated mozzarella with crunchy bread, smoked bacon & a black olive & lemon dressing

  best chargrilled steak

  salsa verde

  chargrilled tuna with dressed beans & loadsa herbs

  KNIFE TECHNIQUES

  chargrilled pork leg with asparagus

  BAKING & SWEET THINGS pears in amarone

  baileys & banana bread & butter pudding

  surprise pudding

  baked chocolate pudding

  rice pudding

  perfect sweet pastry

  MAKING THE PERFECT SWEET PASTRY

  BAKING ‘BLIND’

  baked ricotta & mascarpone tart with chocolate & orange

  hazelnut torte

  nectarine meringue pie

  plum & almond tart

  citrus curd tart – my favourite ways

  baked pears stuffed with almonds, orange & chocolate in flaky pastry

  banoffee pie

  clementine chocolate salad

  REMOVING SEEDS FROM A VANILLA POD

  scrumptious baked figs with mascarpone, orange, pistachios & hot cross buns

  funky coke float

  my perfect cheese plate

  the perfect basic bread recipe

  tomato focaccia

  rosemary & raisin bread

  little sweet grape & rosemary calzones

  sweet roasted red onion & garlic bread

  slow-roasted tomato bread

  full recipe list

  food standards

  hungry for more?

  index

  thanks

  books by Jamie Oliver

  WHAT A YEAR IT’S BEEN. Over the past 12 months I’ve really learnt a lot about myself and have gained so much from new experiences, especially from the birth of my daughter. Poppy has given me a massive wake-up call! Some things never change though — I am sti
ll absolutely passionate about food. Not just eating but the whole cooking thing, hunting down great produce and especially making up recipes. When I’ve found a new dish or tried out a new technique in cooking, I get the same feeling as when I first learnt how to ride a bike. I may never have been the best bike rider, but I always enjoyed it, even when I fell off or crashed. I want you to have the same attitude towards your cooking.

  This year has been really exciting for me, because an idea has finally become a reality. Let me tell you about Jamie’s Kitchen. About seven years ago, when I’d just started working at the River Café, I was having a cup of tea with a friend, Kirsty. At the time she was working with problem children — aggressive and bad-tempered, they weren’t fitting into their school or home environments very well — and she was explaining to me that the main thing was to inspire and empower them and to give them some hands-on responsibility. She said that cooking classes had been going really well with them, because they could feel, smell and create things and above all it was fun. Plus they could eat what they’d made! Having not been the brightest banana in the bunch myself, I realized that my biggest weapon in life was the determination, enthusiasm, hands-on and ‘actions speak louder than words’ approach my father taught me, and I wanted to get this across to others, especially those interested in food. Having had five really great years I felt it was about time to give a little back and help inspire others. So that’s where Jamie’s Kitchen came from.

  All my ideas got whittled down to one main one — to train a team of unemployed kids with an interest and passion for food and to open a new first-class restaurant in London to be run by them. The restaurant will be a charity, with all profits used to send the kids on scholarships to work with the best chefs around the world — Britain, Italy, France, Australia, Japan. Just look at the difference that the Roux brothers, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay have made in such a short period of time. They are all incredible chefs and we should aspire to be as good as they are. Together they have broken the mould for British food and now their protégés are continuing in their footsteps and cooking to a brilliantly high standard.

  The aim of this book is the same as my TV programmes. It’s not a clinical or overly serious ‘learn to cook’ book. It’s more about giving you an honest and easy approach to cooking from my point of view. With this book, you too can get stuck in along with the kids who are training as chefs. So far they’ve been brilliant — getting stuck into their training and displaying a real thirst for knowledge. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing as they are 15 very different individuals. I’m pleased with how well they’ve been doing though, and I really hope they enjoy the training and the whole experience. If they can come out the other end as fully trained, passionate chefs, I’ll be a happy man.

  Recently I’ve travelled all over the world and have met some great people. I honestly can’t tell you what a real sense of happiness and achievement I feel when I get everyone from kids, to OAPs, to students, to builders, to city boys, talking to me about the recipes they’ve cooked from my books. It’s an unbelievable feeling, but the best thing of all for me is when someone says they adapted a recipe as they preferred a nice cod steak to a bit of mullet, or ‘I hate pears so I did it with peaches’ or ‘I turned that ravioli into a tortellini.’ For me it doesn’t get much better than that, because it makes me feel I’ve given you guys confidence in your own cooking. Just remember, it’s not about being a professional chef, weighed down with facts and figures and techniques.

  ‘when I first met them I had to check my wallet was still there – it was like Fame meets Reservoir Dogs!’

  I’d like you to have a go on your own and think of me as a mate who’s on hand to give you a bit of extra guidance. I want to give your cooking a kickstart, so be creative, give it your best shot and, as always, have a laugh.

  getting yourself kitted out

  When shopping for kitchen equipment, you’ll find that most cookshops and department stores have all these high-tech pans with glass lids, removable handles and so on, but most of the time they’re actually not very good. Just try to get yourself a minimal amount of decent sturdy kitchen equipment. Have a look in some professional kitchen shops — you’ll be surprised to find that they don’t charge over-the-top prices, as they have to stock no-nonsense inexpensive equipment.

  Here are a few of the things I couldn’t live without:

  large non-stick frying pan

  large porcelain or stainless steel casserole

  some heavy, thick-bottomed saucepans — large, medium and small

  a couple of pairs of metal tongs

  wooden spoons

  thick, sturdy wooden chopping board — spend a bit more and it should last you a lot longer

  small plastic chopping boards, for meat and fish — small enough to fit in the dishwasher

  olive oil drizzlers

  medium-large pestle and mortar — from all good stores and supermarkets

  food processor — these save time and are a good investment

  knives: 30cm cook’s knife, paring knife and bread knife to get you started

  stainless steel fish slice, slotted spoon, ladle and whisk — don’t use plastic ones

  speed-peeler — cheap as chips and really handy

  2 or 3 good sturdy roasting trays — the thicker the better so they won’t kink in the oven

  salad spinner — good ones only last a year, so buy yourself a cheap one

  electric scales

  a couple of sieves, fine and coarse

  measuring jug

  string

  metal box grater

  rolling pin

  cake tins

  wine rack

  shopping tips

  Some people think shopping for food is a bit of a hassle, but, to be honest, if you shop well for the best seasonal ingredients that’s half the battle won. Here are some tips to help you get the best out of your shopping.

  Always keep your basic commodities stocked up so you’re never short of herbs and spices.

  If you’re unhappy with anything you buy, make sure you take it back because if you don’t complain the shop will never know and learn from their mistakes. If the supermarkets haven’t got what you want on their shelves, ask them to stock it on a trial basis. Things like vanilla pods, semolina flour, good olive oils and vinegars should be there, so kick up a fuss if they’re not and blame it on me!

  There aren’t many places you visit two or three times a week like clockwork, so make a point of getting to know your manager and let him know when displays of fresh goods look shabby. I do this all the time and it does make a difference.

  Don’t just look, but smell and touch as well — get to know your ingredients!

  The best beef is the darker meat which has been hung for longer as opposed to the bright red stuff. Look for meat that has hung for anything from 16 to 26 days, depending on the age and breed of the animal. The meat should be well-marbled with fat.

  Any really fresh fish will never ever smell — look for clear eyes, shiny scales and red gills. And always trust your instincts. If you can’t get to the fish because it’s behind a counter, have a look at the way it’s been presented. If the tuna has been badly or unevenly cut, or if the cod is broken open as it has been dumped in a pile, or if the scallops are sitting in a puddle of fish juice or defrosted ice, then you know that the people behind the counter are not very knowledgeable or passionate about what they do. If, however, everything is neatly portioned and arranged and nothing’s sitting in murky water, then the chances are you’re in safe hands.

  If you don’t know what to buy, ask the butcher or fishmonger what they are going to eat tonight or what they would buy from the selection, or if they’ve got anything else that’s not on display. Sometimes the really fresh fish is sitting out the back waiting for the old fish to be sold before it gets offered to the customers.

  When at the butchers or fishmongers ask them to fillet and debone what you’ve bought �
�� it’s good to watch them do it.

  Try and buy regional produce from your own area or at least from your own country.

  Let the seasons dictate to you what to cook.

  Think about using the delivery service that local shops offer over the internet. It’s a great way to get heavy and bulky objects home — with this out of the way you can enjoy walking round the shops a bit more.

  ‘when shopping, remember, a stylish trolley is important!’

  now it’s your turn

  You may have wondered sometimes where a chef gets his or her inspiration from, so I thought I’d try to give you a sense of the things I enjoy. I think my style of light, fresh and colourful food has been shaped by the kind of person I am and the things I do, even though some of these may have nothing to do with food.

  I’m quite an impulsive person and enjoy my friends, family and lifestyle as much as I do cooking. I often find that these things have an influence on my recipes, along with things like the clothes I wear, the music I listen to and stuff like that. My style of cooking is not intense and in-your-face as I’m not an uptight kind of person, so my food doesn’t reflect that. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that it’s important to put your own stamp on things. When you buy a house or rent a flat you decorate it in your own style; when you go to a wedding you might not want to wear a tie or hat; when you make a steak sandwich you might want to drink a really over-the-top glass of French claret with it. Life is full of rules and regulations, dos and don’ts and contradictions, but I like to be slightly odd, a bit naughty, a bit edgy and (hopefully!) a bit funky. It’s the same in cooking.

  I do love food — I’m obsessed by it. I think about breakfast in the evening and dinner at breakfast. I often daydream about family dinners ten days in advance. You can’t always plan ahead, though — for instance, it’s no good setting your heart on a particular sea bass recipe, just because you want to eat sea bass that day. It could be that it’s been rough at sea and the fish will have been hanging round since the weekend and starting to smell. Better to ask the fishmonger what’s fresh, use your nose, use your eyes, give the fish a feel and then decide what to buy. Certainly the most effortless way to be inspired is simply to go for a walk down the market and see what’s in season. It goes a bit like this: English asparagus has come in, the peas are sweet and bursting in your mouth, the mint in the herb box is growing like the clappers and strangling the rosemary, leafy Sicilian lemons are about — bloody hell, this is great — I know for a fact that I’ve got some extra virgin olive oil stashed in the back of a dark cupboard at home, some great Arborio risotto rice, some tagliatelle or spaghetti even, I’ve got fresh organic eggs which are double-yolkers and golden and I’ve got a couple of those goose eggs from Mr Turnip down at Borough Market. I could make a frittata with some pecorino and Parmesan, or maybe some goat’s cheese. My mouth’s beginning to water; right, I’ll buy those peas mate and I’ll have that asparagus. I’ll eat some of these peas raw while I’m waiting to pay.