• cookmag on April 09, 2010

  I've been using this just about every week I've had the book.,

• Nancy Levy on December 31, 2009

  Great Lamb Shanks

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Proper blokes' sausage fusilli

  • Jane on September 03, 2010

    Great everynight dinner. I mix it up by adding spinach or broccoli or sundried tomatoes, it's good every way.

  • Breadcrumbs on March 29, 2011

    p. 72 - Absolutely delicious! I wholeheartedly agree w JO, much of the flavour in this dish comes from the sausages so a high quality product is imperative. We adored how the bright lemon flavour complemented the hearty sausages and, countered their richness. The chilies provide just the right amount of subtle heat. I did worry that the sauce might be too acidic given the inclusion of wine and lemon juice but after the short simmer, all flavours were balanced and just perfect in our estimation. I used Farfalle and I didn’t thoroughly drain it before adding to the pan of sausage. We found that the water that clung to the pasta to be adequate to aid in distributing the sausage mixture so I didn’t feel the need to add any of the pasta water I’d reserved. We served w some freshly grated parmesan. Aside from being so delicious, this dish is super easy and comes together in no time. I look forward to making this again. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/769171#6421065

  • kari500 on October 13, 2020

    One of our favorites. The lemon is essential.

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    You will want to go with almost the quantity of pasta he suggested, maybe slightly less. The sauce is mostly about the sausage so make sure you get good sausage. We used lamb and it was very good.

  • stockholm28 on February 15, 2015

    This recipe is all about the sausage. It makes a lot; the recipe says 4 to 6 servings, but with more than a pound of dried pasta, I'd say it was at least 8 servings. This would be a good weeknight meal.

  • Rutabaga on December 15, 2014

    This is such a great, fast dinner to throw together, a real crowd pleaser. Add a simple vegetable dish or salad, and dinner is done. I like to use bulk house made chicken or turkey sausage from PCC, the local organic foods shop.

• Creamy butternut squash

  • Jane on February 21, 2011

    Very tasty though I'm going to adjust the sauce quantities and timings next time I make it (and there will be a next time). Some pieces of the squash weren't fully cooked and the sauce was quite runny (though tasted good). Served it with roast chicken.

• Macaroni cheese

  • Cheri on January 29, 2011

    This is quick to put together, added ham, substituted diced chives and basil for the oregeno (what I had). Yummy.

  • Melanie on April 02, 2015

    I really liked this macaroni cheese recipe - good cheese flavour without the usual gloopy roux. I substituted bocconcini for mozzarella, cheddar for fontina, used about a cup of the pasta water and added panko crumbs to the top.

  • Delys77 on February 04, 2016

    Good but I honestly prefer a proper sauce mornay.

  • Rutabaga on December 15, 2014

    This is a really lovely, easy alternative to the typical American style cheddar based macaroni and cheese. Even though there's little to dilute the pure cheesiness of the sauce, it's not as rich as some versions, and the addition of oregano and nutmeg add a subtle sophistication. I forgot to set aside some pasta water, so added a little milk instead. It's a good dish for all ages.

  • mickeypeach on September 20, 2017

    I fry a couple of chicken breasts and some nice bacon, I tear the chicken and mix it with the bacon and put it at the bottom of the oven dish and pour the pasta on top. Awesome.

• Cheesy peas

  • Ollielloyd on September 23, 2010

    This was lovely and I made for Alastair and Jane

  • Delys77 on March 13, 2012

    Pg. 324 As per usual, Mr. Oliver doesn't really give any proportions but the dish works despite this since it is conceptually so simple. I did find it quite nice, but the one note on this is that you need to put quite a bit of parm in order to have enough saltiness. I personally found that it would be good with a moderate amount of parmesan, and then add a tiny bit of fleur de sel at the end.

• Schnitzel with watercress and spiced apple sauce

  • Breadcrumbs on March 17, 2011

    p. 182 - If you’ve made Schnitzel in the past, there’s likely nothing new for you here in terms of the prep or cooking technique. That said, this recipe produces a lovely tender-crisp Schnitzel and a delightful and aromatic sweet-tart applesauce to serve alongside. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I prepped as instructed but needed a medium saucepan for the applesauce which took 20 mins to cook. I added 1 tbsp of butter to the frying pan for the schnitzel. When ready, Schnitzel is served w the applesauce, some julienned cornichon and, while JO suggests watercress, we used arugula since the watercress at my supermarket was in a sorry state. Everything came out beautifully and the orange-infused applesauce felt like a happy little pile of Christmas on our plates, really yummy! This is a keeper and of course would work w chicken or veal too.

  • et12 on August 14, 2020

    A go to apple sauce recipe and good combination of flavours; easy to do.

• Open stained-glass lasagne with roasted squash

  • tgirlza on April 05, 2010

    Add toasted parmesan crumbs; roast butternut; asparagus; pine nuts; fried sage

• April's rosemary straw potatoes with lemon salt

  • tgirlza on April 05, 2010

    Substitute truffle salt/drizzle with truffle oil

• The best shortbread in the world

  • erin g on January 02, 2011

    The only shortbread I make now. I add lemon zest to the butter and Maldon sea salt flakes to the top mixed with the sugar.

  • et12 on August 14, 2020

    A bit too crumbly for me but tastes good

• The best onion gratin

  • Emily Hope on December 06, 2010

    "The Best"? Who knows. But it was certainly good, if a little rich. Used a slightly sweet white wine (all we had open) which actually worked well with the dish. Served with polenta with porcini (River Cafe) and chard with anchovies (A16).

• Potato rösti

  • moreace01 on October 13, 2010

    This is the best rosti - instead of grating potatoes, you slice them into matchsticks and the whole thing is baked in the oven. It comes out cristpy, not gluey. The garlic and rosemary are great additions.

  • averythingcooks on May 25, 2021

    This was awesome! It was beautifully crispy & flavourful BUT I will watch carefully next time - it was done well before the final 25 minutes were up. Odd that he calls for peeled garlic cloves and in the picture they are clearly NOT peeled.....minor quibble as this is an absolute repeat

  • stepharama1 on November 04, 2022

    This tasted good but it did not turn out as crispy as in the picture. I'm not sure if it's because I cut the potato matchsticks too thing so that they broke up during the cooking process instead of remaining separate or because the recipe did not call for rinsing/squeezing the cut potatoes to remove the starch.

• Grilled spatchcocked chicken with new potatoes, roast asparagus and herby yogurt

  • crandall57 on July 15, 2015

    Excellent way to grill chicken. Moist and delicious.

  • KIGirl on September 04, 2014

    Did the chicken on its own with different sides 9/10

  • et12 on October 10, 2020

    Very easy and tasty, just made the chicken with other veg sides but can see how potatoes would have tasted good cooked in the drippings of the chicken.

• Gorgeous slow-cooked duck pasta

  • crandall57 on May 03, 2016

    Skip the butter and the parmesan and use gluten free pasta and this dish is gluten and dairy free. We used gluten free egg tagliatelle.

• Must-try red cabbage braised with apple, bacon and balsamic vinegar

  • crandall57 on January 25, 2015

    Excellent. Needed an hour and a half to cook. Went perfectly as a side to roast pork shoulder.

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    This was very good, and much better thant he version in 5 Ingredient Fix. You also cooked this one for about 1.5 hours, and you went a bit lighter on the bacon. The vinegar and the apples combine to sweeten this very nicely and the fennel seeds are great background flavour.

  • infotrop on December 15, 2017

    Excellent flavor and also easy to adapt for a pressure cooker. I added a bit more vinegar.

  • raybun on January 09, 2017

    Loved the sweet/sour flavours. I cooked the cabbage for 1 hour as stated but ideally could have done with another 30 minutes and I didn't have time. Served with a maple ham, it was a real feast. (Over garnished with parsley!)

  • ChelseaP on July 08, 2022

    As everyone else has said, this is a really great recipe.

• Roasted chicken breast with cherry tomatoes and asparagus

  • eliza on September 03, 2016

    I made this with a few changes. I used bone in chicken thighs and subbed green beans for the asparagus. This is a simple and tasty recipe that is easy to prepare. I had to cook for a bit longer, about 40 minutes or so to cook the thighs properly. With my substitutions, this fits into the low FODMAP diet, which I am now on for health reasons.

  • Rutabaga on April 29, 2018

    This is good simple one dish meal; just serve some bread on the side. I scaled up and used three large chicken breasts on the bone, which I roasted in a large sauté pan. Perhaps that's why it took extra long to cook, about an hour and ten minutes in all. While the bone kept the chicken nicely moist, it might be better to use boneless here, as the asparagus was a little overcooked by the time the chicken was (only just) done.

• Steamed Thai-style sea bass and rice

  • eliza on January 28, 2015

    I also found this recipe a bit lacking, although I had high hopes for it. I read some comments online and substituted fish sauce for some of the soy sauce for a more authentic Thai taste. You have to partially cook the rice, and I found that difficult to judge. Also, my fish needed more time in the oven than that given in the recipe. I also found the balance of flavours a bit off; the sauce was a bit too sour and salty for me, and was missing a sweet note. I do think this is a good basic idea; I might try it again with a different sauce.

  • Delys77 on June 05, 2012

    Pg 229 The concept behind this recipe was sound but the overall results were a little lacking. I did follow the recipe precisely except that I did pan sear the fish skin side down for a minute or so befor I placed the fish in the roasting pan with the rice. I was a bit worried about the skin if it was left to steam in the pan without any direct heat contact. The fish itself was ok but didn't really absorb any of the flavour from the thai seasonings, overall it was a little lack lustre. The rice on the other hand was entirely too flavourful if that is possible. The first few bites were good, but as you ate the mixture of soy, ginger, and garlic was overpowering. Finally the snow peas were far too crunchy after 15 minutes, I left it in for a few more to try and soften them a bit, but they were still too firm, plus there was far too much cilantro and green onion for garnish, all uncooked. Overall I don't think I would bother with this one again, just too many things to fix.

• Pan-fried sirloin steak with simple Chianti butter sauce and olive oil mash

  • Sara on May 28, 2011

    Finish steak in oven, then remove and let rest while making sauce. Delicious!

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    One of the better simple pan sauces you have made. The quanitity of thyme really does it. Mashed potatoes were delicious

• My favorite coleslaw

  • mummybunny2005 on September 15, 2012

    Excellent with homemade mayonnaise!

  • H_Leblanc123 on April 24, 2022

    Really delicious with the apples and the lemon juice!

• Blackened barbecued pork fillets

  • FJT on June 15, 2021

    This worked and was quite nice; nothing special but perfectly fine.

• Roasted chicken breast with creamy butternut squash and chilli

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    I tried the butternut squash version and it was very simple and tasty. Make sure you season generously and maybe add a bit of acid to the finished dish. The chili is essential to the flavour otherwise it might be a bit bland.

  • j_h on September 03, 2016

    Split the chicken breast to get it to cook in time.

• Roasted chicken breast with lemony Bombay potatoes

  • Delys77 on November 06, 2011

    Pg 187 I scored this recipe a 3 because the chicken was tasty but the recipe was missing some steps and the potato seasoning was a bit off. The instructions have you prep an Indian spice mixture but then doesn't have you do anything with it. I assumed he wanted you to toss the chicken and potatoes in it. The result was quite nice for the chicken but the amount of turmeric and cumin made for bitter potatoes. I would cut all the seasonings by about 25%, maybe even 50% for the turmeric. The lemon is very nice. Conceptually you could play around with this one or try his other seasoning suggestions.

  • j_h on September 03, 2016

    Split the chicken breast to get it to cook in time.

• Pan-fried lemon sole fillets with salsa verde

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Kind of boring. The broccoli takes longer than he suggests, closer to 7 minutes. If you use the amount of oil suggested you end up with a paste not a sauce. All in all nothing special.

• Delicious roasted white fish wrapped in smoked bacon with lemon mayonnaise and asparagus

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    The lemon mayo is good, at first it does seem to be quite tangy but it balances very quickly and the flavour is both rich and tangy. The Fish itself could do with being turned over a few minutes before the end of cooking so the bacon crisps on both sides, maybe after 8 or 9 minutes. You used reduced sodium bacon so it ended up being a little bland, I think the dish would benefit from a heavier hand with the seasoning. Salt a bit if you are using reduced sodium bacon, add lots of zest and pepper, and if you are using something like thyme go with double what he suggests.

  • BasicStock on March 19, 2018

    I was surprised at how quickly this went together. I used sole fillets which I seasoned with the rosemary and lemon zest and then rolled up. My bacon was too thick so didn't crisp up before the fish was cooked, so I'll go for a very thin wrapper of bacon next time. Used store-bought mayo, would homemade take this to another level?? I'm planning on making this dish for some friends, so will do new potatoes or orzo to go with it.

• Rosemary-roasted cubed potatoes

  • Delys77 on October 14, 2011

    Pg 298 Make sure you leave the skin on the garlic or it will burn. Tasty little potatoes that take about 27 mins on convection.

  • averythingcooks on June 22, 2021

    This was a great little treatment for a couple of good sized, aging red skinned potatoes....I basically scaled it back by 1/2, smashed them up a bit in the pan (after removing the garlic from the skins) near the end of the roasting time and we pretty much devoured them.

• Sticky saucepan carrots

  • Delys77 on October 13, 2011

    This is only marginally different from regular braised carrots but it is still pretty good.

  • et12 on December 22, 2021

    These were excellent for developing intense carrot flavours. Took a little bit longer then the recommended time, but worked well just the same.

• Superb sweet and sour squash

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    The sweet and sour overwhelms the squash entirely, and the coriander and parsley create an odd flavour in tandem with the sweet and sour.

• Steamed broccoli with soy and garlic

  • Delys77 on November 01, 2011

    Great little side that will work for an Asian menu but also would go with a western meal. The flavours were nice but I would go with a little less than 1 lime next time as the balance would be better if there was a little less acidity.

  • bktravels on September 13, 2020

    9/13/2020 Link to recipe online does not seem to be working. Try this for a similar or perhaps identical Jamie recipe https://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/world-cuisine-2/jamie-olivers-broccoli-with-asian-dressing/

• Steamed broccoli with beurre blanc

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    I tried his thermos method and it was good but you have to make sure the container you use doesn't conduct heat too much and also you will want to make sure you have a bit more liquid than he suggests and that that it is very very hot. the sauce itself needs to be well salted.

• Roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander and almonds

  • Delys77 on September 19, 2012

    The recipe yields a nicely roasted and spiced cauliflower dish, but I'm not sure the ground almonds are doing much for it. Also, I would add a little lemon at the end and make sure you taste for salt as it needs it.

  • clkandel on March 27, 2021

    Quite tasty. I switched up the herbs and used fennel since the flavor profile matched my main course better. I used whole almonds and just crushed them in my mortar and pestle.

  • raybun on July 07, 2016

    I really enjoyed this dish. I used whole almonds that I chopped into big chunks rather than ground almonds, heeding Delys77's advice. Went very well with the other Indian dishes I served it alongside.

• Simple crunchy side salad

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Not overly complicated and a nice crunchy little green salad. Served with the lemon vinaigrette

• Incredible baked lamb shanks

  • Delys77 on July 01, 2012

    Flavour wise this was a great dish. The herb butter is delicious amd the aromatics just melt into a beautiful little sauce. My one issue is once again Jamie's weak descriptions and instructions. For example,he has you stuff the lamb with some of the butter and tells you simply to make a flavour pocket by cutting a small hole in he base. Now the question is, what is the base of a shank, is it the end that is closest to the hoof, or is it the larger end that forms the base. It really isn't clear from his instruction so I did my best by doing it at both ends. I used the extra butter to top each shank before I wrapped them up to ake them. Again, a great idea and a nice dish but Jamie needs a better ghost writer I think.

• Spinach and goat's cheese risotto

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Delicious tangy and rich risotto. Great as is but you could double the spinach and go a tad lighter on the butter.

  • infotrop on October 29, 2019

    Making Jamie's basic risotto recipe first seems like an unnecessary extra step, but actually saves time, and the final risotto dish comes together beautifully, all creamy and silky.

  • MariaPereira on April 28, 2015

    Delicious and easy. I used less butter and next time will increase the amount of spinach.

• Simple sautéed zucchini with chilli and lemon

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Do go with his suggestion to use a mandolin and to cook relatively briefly. Great combo of garlic, lemon and spice.

• Greek salad

  • ereibel on December 20, 2011

    Wonderful easy salad.

• Roasted chicken breast wrapped in pancetta with leeks and thyme

  • j_h on September 03, 2016

    Split the chicken breast to get it to cook in time.

  • Rutabaga on May 08, 2020

    This is quite good. I sized it up for four, and put the foil atop a baking sheet. Even though I cut the chicken breasts roughly in half crosswise, it still took about 45 minutes for them to cook thoroughly and the leeks practically melted. This may have been because the chicken was not quite fully defrosted. I used regular bacon, and the extra time helped it crisp up, too.

  • poppym on September 01, 2017

    So delicious! Quick and easy as well. No need to change a thing.

  • et12 on August 14, 2020

    Good recipe when cooking for one

• Ravioli of pecorino, potato and mint

  • jakob_jantzen on June 11, 2012

    remember heaps of butter...!!!

• Grilled or roasted monkfish with black olive sauce and lemon mash

  • eeeve on May 04, 2015

    This was excellent, an absolutely worthy treatment of the currently so pricey monkfish. The lemon zest really makes the dish sing, with the black olive salsa complementing the fish perfectly. I can see this treatment work well with other types of white fish, too. Beware, though - the fish has to marinade for an hour before cooking, so best to plan that in.

• Buttered peas with crunchy bacon

  • clkandel on November 18, 2019

    Fast and tasty. Adds a little something to a simple side of peas.

• Braised white cabbage with bacon and thyme

  • imaluckyducky on April 24, 2017

    I really, really enjoyed this. The hint of smoky saltiness from the bacon pairs well with the aromatic earthiness of the thyme. Will make again.

  • et12 on October 10, 2020

    One of my favourite ways to eat cabbage. So easy, especially of cooking for large groups. I used a mandolin to get the thin slices of cabbage.

• Braised peas with spring onion and lettuce

  • Globegal on June 19, 2017

    This was ok. Liked it but nothing to shout about. Was simple to make and good to use up vegetables from CSA.

• Slow-cooked leek soldiers with bacon

  • infotrop on November 25, 2013

    not worth the effort; just too much leek.

• Jools' favorite Saturday afternoon pasta

  • Rinshin on August 31, 2018

    simple pasta using what most of us have on hand with the exception of fresh basil. Added baby artichoke hearts and sliced black olives, but any addition will do here. Lots of basil and good amount of fresh lemon juice makes this recipe worth making. Although I halved the recipe, it made for 4 servings instead of 3. This is a solid recipe worth repeating again when looking to make with canned tuna.

  • montecristo99 on August 24, 2018

    This is one of my all-time favorite pasta recipes, and a frequent request from family and friends. I've been making it for years now, sometimes just as written, sometimes with the addition of extra veg I have on hand, or with different pasta (I like tagliatelle best). It's good the day you make it, but truly outstanding warmed up the next day.

• Summertime tagliarini

  • Rutabaga on September 14, 2015

    While the bright, lemony no-cook sauce makes this a great summer dish, it would also be welcome in winter, when Meyer lemons would doubtlessly lend themselves beautifully to this dish. It's a good balance of tart lemon and vibrant, sharp parsley with silky rich olive oil and cheeses, made more substantial with the addition of pounded pine nuts. It's one of my favorite simple pasta dishes for any time of year.

• Crunchy raw beetroot salad with feta and pear

  • Rutabaga on August 19, 2015

    I found this salad delicious - crunchy veg combined with briny feta and a bright tasting dressing. However, my husband really did not like it (maybe because of the pear? he's picky about fruit in savory salads). Fair warning: hand slicing the beets and pear into matchsticks is labor intensive. Also, the salad is best eaten immediately, as the beets and pear are unappealingly soggy after sitting in the dressing for a day, and everything turns pink.

• Tomato, basil and ricotta risotto

  • Rutabaga on December 15, 2014

    This unexpected combination makes for a very fresh tasting, summer-friendly risotto. Use a mix or beautifully ripe summer tomatoes and just picked basil for best results.

  • fibarr on March 02, 2017

    I really love this fresh risotto. Not as heavy as others and the flavours really pop.

• Pan-roasted salmon with purple sprouting broccoli and anchovy-rosemary sauce

  • Rutabaga on April 02, 2018

    This recipe is good for spring, when purple sprouting broccoli is in season. I found the anchovy flavor to be a little strong in the sauce; I didn't mind it myself, but the anchovy taste was definitely noticeable, so it's not for everyone. It's a good dish to serve for a group dinner, as salmon cooks very quickly, and it is easy to increase the amount of fish and broccoli as needed.

• Whole baked cauliflower with tomato and olive sauce

  • Dcampos on January 26, 2017

    Delicious!

• A basic recipe for fresh egg pasta dough

  • averythingcooks on October 31, 2023

    This pasta was lovely served with Marcella Hazan's bolognese but I did have 2 issues. The dough was very dry/difficult to bring together & I finally got it after I wet my hands 2 or 3 times. I should have thought of it earlier but I'm sure the problem is the difference in egg sizes (UK vs Canada)...UK large eggs can weigh 10 or more grams more than mine. Also...a 1/2 recipe (to "serve 2") made a mountain of fettucini which we figured would easily serve 6 people! As I said, very good but I'm going to try Michael Ruhlman's (From Scratch) version next time

• Squash, sage and amaretti risotto

  • et12 on August 14, 2020

    This was a good risotto; maybe a bit sweet for my tastes because of amaretti

• Incredible boiled butternut squash with squash seed and Parmesan pangrattato

  • et12 on October 10, 2020

    Who would have thought boiled butternut squash would be so good! Takes an hour+ to boil but very delicious and hardly any prep or waste. Worth checking often while cooking to make sure not over cooked.

• Eton mess

  • et12 on March 21, 2023

    Had some left over meringue and so this was a quick and easy dish to whip up. Tasty too!

• Proper custard

  • Lsblackburn1 on December 25, 2019

    This is excellent; I’ve made it several times now. I’m always unsure if I’ve cooked it enough, but 5-6 minutes seems to do the trick.

• Real quick mussels spaghetti in a white wine and basil oil broth

  • Lsblackburn1 on July 19, 2021

    This was easy and delicious. I used chili flakes instead of fresh. Great way to use some of the basil that’s growing in the garden!

• Pear tarte tatin

  • etcjm on September 21, 2021

    Underripe pears from the garden plus a roll of gluten free pastry, out of date in the fridge and this is what we made. Nom Nom. Go easy on the ginger, anything more than the half a teaspoon, I think would be too much. However the ginger and almonds add so much. I didn't have fresh thyme, but if you do, I think it would really add. Leftovers were lovely, chilled the next day. So so easy for a lovely dessert. My recipe from the book didn't have cinnamon in it like the one in the link.

• Zucchini fritters

  • etcjm on August 29, 2020

    Don't bother. Courgette stir fry. Didn't work at all. All because I was too lazy to find the river cottage recipe I know I've done successfully many times before. Live and learn.

• Mad Moroccan lamb

  • Caja on June 21, 2023

    It was nice, but not sure it was worth the effort, made an absolute tonne and didn't reheat well