• Eurydice on March 08, 2010

  I think Jamie is especially good at lamb - the best leg roasts and shank recipes I've tried

• Mahamud-Ha on December 26, 2009

  I love this book!!

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Pot-roasted guinea fowl with sage, celery and blood orange

  • Breadcrumbs on March 07, 2011

    p. 126 -This is a wonderful dish. The gravy made from pan juices and stuffing is scrumptious. The blood oranges we so sweet and juicy their delicate flavours infuse the meat w a subtle citrus flavour and the fragrant thyme just added to our overall delight with this dish. Like many of the other JO recipes I’ve tried this month, prep for this one is pretty straightforward Essentially you stuff your hens, brown them and then finish in the oven. Finally, pan gravy is made from the drippings, stuffing and wine. A pan suitable for roasting is heated then olive oil is added so you can cook the hen until golden on all sides. The hen turned a beautiful golden very quickly. In oven, my pan never dried out but I did top up wine as suggested. No additional wine was needed to make gravy.This was a perfect Sunday roast, a winning combination of flavours that come together, with so little effort, to produce a truly wonderful meal. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/769188#6360079

  • wodtke on June 07, 2014

    I didn't much care for this. The bird was a bit overcooked -- not too seriously -- at the time and temp called for. I also found the instruction to keep moistening the pan with splashes of wine as you brown the bird to be more than odd. It's a very early Jamie recipe, and maybe he hadn't quite figured things out. The recipe is online at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/pot-roasted-guinea-fowl-with-sage-celery-and-blood-orange-recipe.html

• Pappardelle with dried porcini and thyme, tomato and mascarpone sauce

  • Breadcrumbs on March 06, 2011

    p. 55 - A delicious pasta dish w comforting, earthy flavours. Super quick and easy to prepare provided you have some homemade tomato sauce on hand. Sauce comes together quickly. Garlic is added to heated oil then mushrooms are added along w the thyme. Once garlic gets some colour the reserved mushroom liquid is added and cooked down. Jamie says to allow the mushrooms should cook away until next to nothing. I assumed he meant the liquid since it was unlikely my large, un-chopped pieces of mushroom would be going anywhere! Tomato sauce is added and simmers until the pasta is ready. Mascarpone is stirred in prior to adding the pasta to the sauce. Top w parmesan. This is a hearty dish w bold flavours from the earthy porcini mushrooms. I liked it, K proclaimed it to be amazing, he said he’d give it a 9.5 out of 10. Photos in Chowhound: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/769188#6358369

  • wester on September 07, 2015

    This had a very good flavor, but weirdly there was something very unsubstantial about it.

  • Trackypup on November 17, 2011

    Terribly written recipe. Talks about adding the mushroom liquor..hmmm I think you mean liquid.

  • Hellyloves2cook on May 26, 2012

    Great recipe and easy to follow. Liquor has several meanings and Jamie uses it in the right context. Liquid to which food has been added to or cooked in is indeed called liquor.

• Everyday quick basic pasta recipe

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    This is very nice, but I have not gotten to the stage where I could do it quickly yet. So, not an everyday thing.

  • fprincess on November 06, 2010

    Good basic pasta recipe (1 lb flour + 5 eggs).

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    8.13 Perfect.

  • Ro_ on May 18, 2020

    My first ever time making pasta! I ended up adding an extra egg as my eggs were only medium size, and I had to use regular all purpose flour as couldn't get Tipo 00. The recipe actually seemed to come together really well, but I think my mistake was that I didn't get it rolled out thin enough with my rolling pin, which gave me quite a thick and chewy end result. Ravioli probably wasn't the best type of pasta dish to try to start with! I think I'd probably need a pasta machine to get it right.

• Creamy eggplant, cannellini bean and ricotta soup

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    Nice soup. I preferred cooking for 10 minutes instead of twenty, and not adding the herbs until the end.

  • Ro_ on March 11, 2020

    I made a half quantity, which gave two big or three small portions. Whizzed to a coarse consistency with a stick blender instead of pureeing half in a blender. This was a nice soup, a little different to the run of the mill, but maybe not outstanding enough to be one to repeat. There are other aubergine dishes I prefer.

• Chickpea and leek soup

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    I love both leeks and chickpeas, but the combination was just like "erwtensoep", oldfashioned pea soup. Not my thing.

  • Hellyloves2cook on May 26, 2012

    Quick and easy soup to make. I just love anything with chick peas in. This is perfect for lunch on a cold day. All my children will eat this too which is a bonus!

• Root salad

  • wester on February 07, 2010

    Nice, but a bit too sweet for me. It does have crunch, but it does not have bite. Some roasted fennel seeds definitely improve this salad. I might try lemon juice instead of vinegar if I make this again.

• Spicy squash, basil and ricotta tortellini with crispy herbs

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    This is a LOT of work, but worth it. Lovely combination of flavours. Vegetarian, too.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    6.13 Yummy - would make a great entrée if required and have lots of time to prep.

• Farfalle with a quick tomato sauce

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    I already made my tomato sauce like this before I got the book, it's quite basic. But if you don't know yet how to make a good quick sauce from fresh tomatoes, this will help you.

  • fprincess on March 18, 2011

    Nice shortcut. Basic but it works if you don't have a lot of time.

• Fast-roasted cod with parsley, oregano, chilli and lime

  • wester on September 19, 2020

    Easy and I thought it was tasty, but the kids thought there were "too many spices" (translate: too many green leaves and we don't like the flavor).

  • Zosia on February 15, 2019

    Easy and flavourful. It didn't develop much colour on the top in my oven but 1 minute under the broiler fixed that.

• My perfect roast chicken

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    I don't roast whole chickens that often, but if I do I will probably use this recipe. It's a classic, and rightly so. I do prefer not to use parsley, as that has a tendency to become bitter when heated. ETA: this was written before I found out about Zuni Cafe and Thomas Keller. I definitely prefer those two.

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    Inserting butter and herbs directly under the chicken skin before roasting was a revelation for me.

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg. 120 This was one of the first cookbooks I tried out and bought when I started cooking over a decade ago. This recipe is responsible for making roast chicken less-scary (before I thought it took lots of work), and his suggestion to put herbs under the skin goes a long way to flavor the meat. In fact, that technique I use in almost all my roasted chicken dishes even if it's not called for. The chicken comes out juicy, the skin is crisp, and the flavor is dynamite.

  • mharriman on November 18, 2020

    I really liked the use of fresh herbs and EVOO under and over the skin of the chicken and in the thighs. Very moist chicken meat! I chose marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. The aroma and taste of those herbs reminded me of wonderful Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing. My husband’s and my favorite roast chicken recipe is Thomas Keller’s, but this one was a very close second. I did stuff my chicken with the recommended lemon and herbs, which enhanced the flavor outcome. Served with baked potatoes, a Romaine salad, and Oregon Pinot noir. Chef’s kiss!

• Pork chops with thyme, lemon and pesto

  • wester on September 20, 2015

    Very flavorsome, with or without pesto.

  • debkellie on March 18, 2014

    Probably wouldn't bother with the pesto next time. The marinade for the chops was flavoursome enough. I substituted lemon thyme for thyme.

  • L.Nightshade on March 13, 2011

    Very nice. We used the grill pan, did not scrape the marinade off. I made the pesto, close to Jamie's recipe, but couldn't imagine pesto with 1/4 clove garlic (I kept thinking maybe he meant 1/4 head of garlic, but no). I used one clove, less than I usually use. I did add the optional lemon squeeze, which I've never done in pesto before, and I thought it struck a nice harmony with the lemon zest in the marinade. Served the chops with olive bread and a salad. I think that garlic mashed potatoes would go well with the chops.

  • restio on November 18, 2017

    Delicious - a very good technique for pork chops. Pesto was nice, but not necessary, addition.

  • Ro_ on May 07, 2020

    This was nice but not outstanding. I used bought pesto as I didn't have enough basil to make my own. I'd have liked the marinade to pack more of a punch.

• Stir-fried Chinese greens with ginger, oyster and soy sauce

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    A nice and simple way to prepare bok choi and those other greens you don't really know what to do with. Nice and light, with a clear 'Chinese' flavor. I also added some diced chicken right at the beginning to make it more substantial. This worked well.

  • fprincess on April 21, 2011

    This is tasty and simple. I liked the combination of soy sauce with lime & ginger.

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg 147 I have this nasty habit of getting super excited by baby bok choi and other cool-looking greens at the farmer's market/grocery store/Korean mart, buying a few bags full because, darnit, I'm going to eat GREENS this week, only to proudly march home and realize I (still) have no idea how to make greens taste as exciting as they look. This recipe has saved me on more than one occasion because it;s simple and quick, but very flavorful. I frequently plop this on whatever grain I have made and some dry-fried marinated tofu. If you're like me and sometimes do weird things with leftovers for breakfast, you'll be happy to know that they taste great with poached/fried/soft boiled egg or two on top. The greens keep well for the next-days lunch, and they also taste good straight from the fridge.

  • Zosia on August 31, 2021

    As others have said, this is simple with very good flavour.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    9.13 Scrummy - just don't overcook.

• Meatballs

  • wester on September 28, 2013

    A nice basic recipe.

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    My husband who is of italian descent thought that these were mediocre. I like Marcella Hazan's recipe much better.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    5.14 Didn't add optional - scrummy.

  • restio on November 18, 2017

    I thought these were delicious. My husband was not a fan of the mozzarella but my son and I loved it. I don't know Marcella Hazan but now I want to try her recipe as well based on what fprincess said!

• Spicy roasted squash

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    If you've never roasted squash, this is a very good recipe to start with. It's simple and it's very tasty.

  • fprincess on January 28, 2011

    Simple and tasty.

  • mfto on November 25, 2014

    p 148 This is so easy and so delicious. Use a 2 to 3 lb butternut squash. Cutting the squash is the dangerous part for me. I followed Jamie's cutting instructions but as he says you can hack any way you please. Unfortunately my squash was too young and wasn't sweet but the flavoring was great. He says you can also use acorn squash. I have made this twice now and am thinking of trying the spices on sweet potato. My husband really like this and he is not an easy sell.

  • eliza on December 28, 2020

    I've been making this for years, changing the spices, and usually using the small butternut squash that I grow in the garden. I leave the skin on and increase the oil a bit. Also toast the seeds at the same time with the same spice mixture.

  • Barb_N on December 07, 2014

    Mfto- I heard a tip for safely cutting butternut squash. Prick it with a fork and microwave it for @2 minutes then let cool. This will loosen the skin making it easier to peel. Once it is peeled it is easier to cut. I have done it this way for years. Otherwise my husband insists on cutting it so we don't have to make a trip to the Emergency Room.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    5.13 Delish and versatile.

  • restio on November 18, 2017

    Lazily, I used precut butternut. I am sure this is nicer if you include the skins. Not totally convinced by the fennel seeds, but then I am not a big fan of aniseed.

  • etcjm on July 21, 2021

    Cooked to use with the risotto recipe from the same book. Had to use 2 smaller squash to get the quantity. Took nearer 55 minutes to cook, but I think that was because I'd had enough trying to slice the squash. As per other notes, think you can change the spices as you wish. I will go easier on the fennel next time, but that was because I chucked in 1teaspoon instead of half and I'm also rubbish with the mortar and pestle.

• Roasted red onion with thyme and butter

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    Very simple, very tasty. I also like to put some parboiled potatoes (boiled 10 to 15 mins) in with this. I thought the roasting time given was a bit short.

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg. 153 Made these last night to go with a pork roast. Luckily, my partner loves cooked onions (my mother's response when she heard what I was planning: "who thinks to eat straight up onions as a side dish?"). Simple, easy, tasty. I agree with the other poster that I think the roasting time was a bit short, but I think that may have something to do with how truly vague measuring an onion as "medium" or "large" is (I can frequently only find red onions that are larger than my fist). I'll probably boost up the temp to 425 next time I make this.

• Green lentils braised with rosemary and garlic

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    Nice & classic.

  • fprincess on November 10, 2010

    Simple. Seasoning at the end is essential, especially the red wine vinegar.

  • Ro_ on June 24, 2020

    Great method for cooking lentils, gave very flavourful results. I did the braise on the hob instead of in the oven. You can add more liquid if you want a more liquidy finished result, or let it reduce down a lot if you want drier lentils for use in a salad or similar.

• Black-eyed peas with spinach and balsamic vinegar

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    Nice and different. I thought it was best cold.

• Cranberry bean, pancetta and rosemary risotto

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    This was nice, but I had expected more with all Jamie's enthusiasm about the recipe. Maybe I used the wrong kind of beans, the Dutch translation says borlotti beans.

  • VineTomato on August 08, 2017

    Not sure what a cranberry bean is, we used borlotti beans as listed in the book. Totally delicious, but much more suited as a winter dish. I made two pots, one with quorn veggie bacon for the hubby and one with pancetta for me. I actually think the veggie bacon was better! Will be making this one again as soon as the nights draw in!

  • lou_weez on November 02, 2021

    Delicious!! Used tinned borlotti beans.

  • restio on November 18, 2017

    Absolutely delicious - will make it again. It seemed like a lot of rosemary, but it worked beautifully. We used tinned borlotti beans and streaky bacon. I baked pancetta in the oven until it was crispy and topped the risotto with pancetta shards.

• Couscous salad

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    This is my favorite way of making couscous. It tastes so much fresher than steamed couscous, and there is no danger of overcooking it. It's very versatile too, you can use so many different ingredients once you get the hang of it. I usually make it without all the vegetables, or with just one vegetable.

• Fruit crumble

  • wester on September 03, 2010

    So simple and so lovely. A real storecupboard recipe: with this recipe you can always make dessert. I always halve the amount of crumbs given. When making a rhubarb crumble, use a lot more sugar, about 8 to 10 tablespoons.

  • clkandel on August 29, 2016

    Simple and delicious. I've even used frozen fruit, but do drain off most of the liquid from thawing. If there is extra topping, it keeps great in the refrigerator for later use.

  • fairyduff on December 14, 2020

    Very popular. I used a selection of fruit for this - apple, plum, nectarine, cherry. Making the topping was easy in the processor. I kept a bit back because it seemed a large quantity, but it would have worked okay as the fruit got juicy and bubbled through while cooking. I also skimped on the sugar, as the fruit was very ripe, but I think the dish would need it all if cooking with tart-tasting fruit.

• Pappardelle with sweet leeks and mascarpone

  • wester on March 10, 2010

    Okay. Nice, but I know better ways to prepare leeks.

• Basic tomato sauce

  • Eurydice on May 23, 2010

    The best tomato sauce for pizza

  • fprincess on November 15, 2011

    A very nice tomato sauce, with a kick (thanks to the dried chillies).

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    5.14 Didn't add chilli for kids - scrummy.

• Mushroom risotto with garlic, thyme and parsley

  • Eurydice on May 14, 2010

    Great comfort food. next time add some dried mushroom

  • fprincess on November 05, 2010

    Classic mushroom risotto. I use dry mushrooms from Trader Joe's when I don't have fresh ones on hand.

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg 175 Very good results using fresh or dried mushrooms. I tend to use fresh and use closer to 12-16oz of mixed mushrooms (baby portobello and regular white button) because, well, I really like fungi and I still get sticker-shock over the prices of dried shrooms.

• A spottier dick pudding

  • Eurydice on May 21, 2010

    Sorry Jamie. This is forgettable!

• Chocolate, orange and nut steamed pudding

  • Eurydice on September 11, 2011

    Relatively? heart smart chocolate fix. Can substitute orange juice for milk in the sauce to enhance the choc/orange hit. A new Winter favourite!

• Cranberry beans with olive oil and lemon juice

  • Eurydice on March 04, 2010

    Borlotti beans to me

• North African lamb with chilli, ginger, chickpeas and couscous

  • Eurydice on March 09, 2010

    Jamie and lamb do it well again

  • jowiltshire on July 21, 2011

    Big strong flavours. Well worth making the spicy couscous to go with it.

• Spiced slow-cooked lamb shanks

  • Eurydice on March 04, 2010

    Perfect food for winter nights

  • k.a.g on June 17, 2013

    Far and away my favourite lamb shanks preparation. The gentle cooking in the oven allows for a decent amount of flexibility, I find - easy to just switch off the oven and let the meat stay warm in there until you're ready to eat. The flavours of this dish are superb. Brilliant with creamy, slow-cooked polenta.

  • Kag2020 on March 19, 2022

    So so good. I only made two shanks, left all the ingredients the same except only used one can of diced tomatoes, which I did not drain, and I left out the chilies and the anchovies. Oh, and I upped the carrots. Such a keeper!

• Simple chocolate tart

  • fprincess on September 29, 2011

    Very nice tart and simple too!

• Pesto sauce

  • fprincess on September 29, 2011

    This just works!

• Semifreddo

  • fprincess on March 18, 2011

    Good and feasible if you don't have an ice cream machine.

• Lemon and lime cream tart

  • fprincess on September 29, 2011

    I love lemon tarts and this is a nice version.

• Baked chocolate tart

  • fprincess on September 29, 2011

    I haven't made this tart in a while but it's very nice. I typically use heavy cream or creme fraiche instead of the sour cream.

• Tray-baked salmon with olives, green beans, anchovies and tomatoes

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    Great flavor combination and very easy to make.

  • aargle on July 22, 2013

    I love this recipe - so easy fast and delicious

  • pomona on July 16, 2019

    Cooking for one so cooked 1/4, used an enamel pie dish stacking the fillet on top of the veg. Worked very well, juice from tomatoes plus olive oil plus anchovies plus lemony-ness made a tasty sauce in the bottom of the dish.

  • Zosia on June 05, 2014

    Quick and easy recipe with loads of flavour - perfect for a busy weeknight. I used cod which worked very well with the other ingredients.

  • mharriman on November 22, 2020

    As others have noted, this is delicious. For the two of us, the vegetable/anchovies components were very much like Salad Nicoise, only roasted. The anchovies turn the green beans and tomatoes into something special.

  • fairyduff on October 15, 2020

    Tiny effort, fab result. This works amazingly for both a low-effort family meal, or for serving to dinner guests (especially when you want to spend more time with the guests and less in the kitchen) Unbelievable that it's so luxe and tasty at the same time as being totally simple.

  • catmummery on December 31, 2021

    reliable supper dish - easy, fast and super tasty.

• Buttered taglierini with seared scallops, white wine, chilli and parsley

  • fprincess on March 27, 2011

    Super simple and tasty.

  • Ro_ on March 08, 2020

    I didn't make my own pasta (used store-bought Alsacian tagliatelle). This recipe was very nice, go easy on the chilli and add a squeeze of lemon. But not quite special enough for a scallop recipe to make it to my favourites list.

• Radish and fennel salad

  • fprincess on January 21, 2011

    A very simple (too simple?) salad that has a lot of crunch!

  • Melanie on March 08, 2015

    Agree with the previous reviewer, this is a very simple dish. Tasted nice enough but probably wouldn't repeat - too many other dishes to try!

• My minestrone soup

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    Made once but had marginal results.

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    pg 17 I've had very good luck with this recipe, following it as it is and playing with the ingredients alike. If you want to throw this together as quickly as he does, you *need* fresh, flavorful ingredients and a high-quality broth. I tend to throw a ham hock in with the water and cook the veggies with the ham hock for an additional 30 minutes before adding the cabbage. I like kidney beans in my minestrone, so if I'm using them I;ll throw the ham hock in with the beans while they're cooking and use that cooking liquid as the base for this soup. If you want to keep it vegetarian, use a high-quality veggie broth and add the rind of the good-quality parm at the beginning. Also, get good parmesan! You don't need a lot for a good hit of flavor. Add some salt at the end to taste, and this minestrone is hard to beat.

  • ricki on February 01, 2019

    I keep coming back to this recipe. At first it seems like it will be too much rosemary, but it's not. We like this with some borlotti beans and only a little pasta, and homemade vegetable broth.

• Baby spinach, fresh pea and feta cheese salad

  • fprincess on March 27, 2012

    I used fresh shelled peas from my CSA that I blanched briefly. I really like this simple flavor combination. For the olive oil and lemon juice dressing, I used a very aromatic arbequina oil. Picture here on eGullet: http://egullet.org/p1866779

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    Great unexpected combination. Use fresh or high quality frozen peas.

  • L.Nightshade on March 11, 2011

    This salad was so appealing to me that I couldn't wait for fresh peas to come into market, so I used frozen baby peas, blanched for a matter of seconds, then cooled. It is hardly even a recipe, just a couple handfuls of baby spinach, a couple small handfuls of peas, toss with dressing and crumble feta on top. Jamie's dressing calls for an entire teaspoon of salt, too much, I felt, with salty feta. I actually just used a basic, unsalty, balsamic dressing. A lovely easy salad, can't wait to make it again with fresh peas!

  • Ro_ on May 18, 2020

    For me this was nice, but not amazing. The fresh peas, just slightly blanched, were indeed a good addition though.

• Roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic

  • fprincess on November 06, 2010

    Classic flavor combination

• Roast leg of lamb with pancetta, sage and rosemary

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    This is great with an infusion of flavors directly into the leg.

• Fragrant green chicken curry

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    A good use for leftover chicken. The sauce tastes great.

  • k.a.g on June 16, 2013

    This should probably be called 'chicken with lime and some Asian flavourings' rather than posing as a green curry... But chicken with lime is still tasty! I just threw the curry paste ingredients into the food processor with minimal preparation (peeled garlic and ginger etc) and it worked fine, with the exception of the coriander seeds, which probably should actually be ground first as Jamie requests. That made it a pretty quick and easy meal for a weeknight. I served it with fresh rice noodles and lots of steamed green veg - a good combination.

• Roast leg of lamb with anchovies and rosemary

  • fprincess on October 28, 2010

    The anchovies blend and add a complex flavor to this dish (no fishy note!)

• Steamed asparagus with lemon and anchovy butter

  • fprincess on March 18, 2011

    I liked the flavor boost from the lemon & anchovy butter.

• Pan-cooked artichokes with lemon, thyme and garlic

  • fprincess on April 07, 2011

    This is a good one. Once you've prepared the artichokes, it's ready in 15 min. I used lemon confit instead of the zest & juice and it's was very flavorful.

• Pappardelle with mixed wild mushrooms

  • lorloff on March 30, 2015

    I totally agree a fantastic dish. I used olive oil instead of butter and finished will a really good olive oil and great lemon oil instead of lemons and it worked fabulously. Fresh mushrooms from the farmers market were perfect and even added some baby spring greens. It will become a weeknight go to for us too!

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg 56. This is great! Use a mix of whatever mushrooms you find. If you have fresh pappardelle on hand, this dish seriously takes maybe 15 minutes with prep. With dried pasta it takes about 20-25 minutes. This is one of my go-to weeknight "date night" dinners because it plates beautifully, allows me to spend less time in the kitchen/more time cuddling, and tastes great with a salad on the side and a glass of wine.

  • Ro_ on May 25, 2020

    Nice, simple recipe. I didn't make my own pasta, but dried tagliatelle was fine. Lots of chilli, lemon and parmesan gave it a lovely kick.

• Pan-seared scallops with crispy bacon and sage, green lentils and green salad

  • lorloff on August 06, 2022

    This way of cooking scallops was fabulous. They got nice and brown. I thought the lemon would undermine the browning but it did not. The recipe for the lentils was also great and the bacon and crispy sage worked beautifully. Will make again.

  • Allie80 on April 20, 2019

    We gave this 9/10: * Easy to follow recipe, with no complicated or ‘cheffy’ techniques * Nice balance of flavours and textures, go easy on the salad dressing * Great way to showcase beautifully fresh scallops so be sure to find a good local fishmongers if you can * This way of cooking Puy lentils will become a staple recipe for us, I’ve always felt Puy lentils were a bit overrated and never really understood what all the fuss is about. However, having braised them in the oven rather than cooking in a pan on the hob has opened my eyes! These were deliciously soft and moreish. The flavours were nicely balanced and, despite my initial concerns, the rosemary was not overpowering. I took the leftovers to work on Monday with some chicken and they were also delicious when cold.

  • Ro_ on June 24, 2020

    Totally agree with the other comment that this way of cooking lentils is really, really good. It'll be my go-to method for lentils in the future. The other elements of the dish were also really good, with the bacon and crispy sage providing a great balance to the scallops. My scallops were very big and thick so needed longer cooking time than the book gave.

• Parmesan and truffle mash

  • L.Nightshade on June 04, 2011

    I made this to balance the sharper tastes of the Sicilian roasted fish, reviewed above. It's just regular mashed potatoes with added parmesan and truffle oil. I also drizzled a small amount of truffle oil after plating. Very yummy. I bought extra potatoes and made a larger amount than we required, with the idea of crisping them up in a skillet and adding them to a frittata in the morning. No luck, not a bite of potato left over. It's nice to have a good old fashioned comfort food with a little upgrade. Of course, I could probably eat clay with truffle oil on it.

• Short crust sweet pastry

  • mummybunny2005 on August 29, 2012

    This is my go-to sweet pastry recipe/method. I always make double the amount suggested and freeze the rest. It defrosts quickly and I love his method of slicing the pastry into thin rounds and pressing them into the tart pan. With that much sugar it would be difficult to roll out, though plenty of recipes expect you to!

• Focaccia with basil and olive oil topping

  • Melanie on July 28, 2016

    The base is delicious but I think the topping would have worked better with a little more olive oil mixed through.

• Focaccia with potato and rosemary topping

  • Melanie on July 28, 2016

    The base focaccia recipe is amazing and works really well with the potato topping.

• Pot-roasted rabbit with rosemary, thyme, sage and lemon

  • blings on July 01, 2012

    This is a lovely recipe, very easy and a great dish to do if you have not cooked rabbit before. For best results use a shallow dish so the rabbit does not sit on top of each other and only cook for the 10 mins he suggests. The Roasted Red Onion with Thyme and Butter as a suggested accompaniment was lovely also.

  • Ro_ on March 10, 2020

    This was nice but I found that even with pan-frying the rabbit in batches before adding the garlic/lemon/wine and putting in the oven, it needed a longer cooking time. It was just about cooked, but a bit touch and go close to the bone. Next time I'd give 16-20 mins in the oven. The flavours of the lemon, thyme, garlic and wine were very nice though, quite light for a rabbit dish.

• Basic risotto recipe

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg 170 One of the first recipes I tried when I initially got into cooking a decade ago, and still my go-to for risotto, although I have it memorized by now. This recipe gets five stars because it's a fool-proof master recipe for that is well-written and very descriptive on what you need to look for at the different stages of cooking risotto. It gave me correct and tasty results back then as a novice, and I often send this to friends and family members when they want to learn how to make risotto. With this as a base you honestly have the ability to take this recipe to dozens of combinations.

  • Zosia on May 25, 2014

    Very good risotto recipe, more flavourful than some with its use of shallots, garlic and celery. Next time I'll try it with the suggested vermouth (instead of white wine). Makes a huge amount, easily enough to feed 8.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    4.14 Needed extra stock - 1 cup. Yummy - had with Spicy Squash. 3.15 Mushroom - scrummy.

  • etcjm on July 21, 2021

    Cooked to use with the squash recipe from the same book. Interesting to actually follow a recipe. It had far more celery that I would normally use and next time I'll cut it a bit smaller. Used sherry and veg stock. All round very good recipe. Good instructions for a new cook - and also a jaded cook who thinks they know it all!

• Belgian endive salad with anchovy and caper dressing

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg. 37 This salad is not for the faint of heart. The anchovy and capers are a powerful combo, and the lemon juice cuts through very nicely. It's a great way to mellow the endive's inherent bitterness, but this recipe may not win over anchovy or caper haters.

• Anchovy and caper dressing

  • imaluckyducky on December 13, 2013

    Pg 43 Shockingly good with endive. Very good on steamed veggies, chicken, and roasted brussels sprouts (this was an accidental discovery).

  • Ro_ on August 17, 2022

    I love anchovies and capers so was fully expecting to love this dressing, but I tried it on endives as suggested and it just wasn't for me. Somehow it was too much with the bitterness of the endives. Maybe I should try it again on something different.

• Spicy squash risotto with thyme and mascarpone

  • VineTomato on November 06, 2022

    There is nothing better than early Jamie Oliver - so much nostalgia. This is a wonderful recipe, an unusual flavour for a risotto but so good. I'm not sure why I've never made this before. I can imagine back when this book was published this recipe must have been seen as so inspired.

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    4.14 Substituted mascarpone with sour cream - scrummy - good kick - made heaps.

  • etcjm on July 21, 2021

    Very tasty. Substantial meal and will be cooked again. Can be done in stages - I cooked the squash earlier in the day and then did the risotto. Yes, fiddly and messy to peel and chop half the squash, but turns out it was worth it. Next time, I'll cut the celery for the risotto much smaller. I may also add even more thyme and it didn't overpower at all as I thought it might. Will do again.

• Minted asparagus and pea risotto

  • Zosia on May 25, 2014

    A perfect spring dish. I substituted fiddleheads for the asparagus, cooked them separately and added them just at the end to be heated through but otherwise followed the recipe. The risotto recipe that serves as the base has great flavour on its own; the addition of spring vegetables and mint makes it even better. I skipped the butter added at the end of cooking.

• Pan-fried fillet of cod with parsley, capers and brown butter

  • mharriman on December 16, 2021

    Delicious. I followed the directions exactly and the result was one of the better cod entrees I’ve made and eaten at home. Pan fried mine in a cast iron skillet with very good results; a bit of the cod skin stuck to the pan when I flipped them but not enough to tear or break the body of the fish. Lots of splatter with the fish oil and more with the butter sauce and I had to take out my splatter guard.

  • valtaylor on May 03, 2014

    May 03, 2014 This tasted better than I thought! I used a non-stick pan to pan fry the cod - I knew it was mistake! No crust on the fish but overall the meal tasted good.

• Ravioli with prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and mozzarella

  • Charlotte_vandenberg on May 10, 2017

    Nice recipe, mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and sundried tomatoes are always a good idea.

  • Ro_ on May 18, 2020

    The flavour combination of proscuitto, basil, sundried tomatoes and mozzarella was great. However (my fault) my pasta came out way too thick and the overall result was much too tough and chewy.

• Steamed couscous infused with caraway and fennel seeds

  • ithyt on September 24, 2015

    9.13 Yummy - had with lamb stew but didn't steam - just added stock to pan and let sit.

• Farfalle with artichokes, Parmesan, garlic and cream

  • ellencooks on September 26, 2020

    I used canned artichoke quarters and sliced them up. Double the artichoke to pasta ration. Really good!

• Buttered mashed potatoes

  • fairyduff on November 01, 2020

    Do as Jamie says, without variation. This is fantastic!

• Herb and red wine vinegar dressing

  • Ro_ on August 27, 2022

    I'm realising I don't really like any of the dressing recipes in this book. Actually, maybe I've realised dressings really need to be tasted and adjusted to everyone's own taste, doing it from a recipe doesn't always work. I wanted more sweetness in this one.

• Olive oil and lemon juice dressing

  • Ro_ on April 17, 2020

    Needs honey/sugar added to take the edge of the acidity.

• Honey, wholegrain mustard and garlic dressing

  • Ro_ on March 07, 2020

    Great salad dressing: I followed all the ingredients but had to substitute Dijon mustard for grainy as didn't have the latter. Great balance of flavours, one to make again.

• Dry grilled chicken with ginger, Chinese greens and noodles in a herb broth

  • Ro_ on March 18, 2021

    Wow, this was so much better than I expected it to be. I used turkey breast since that's what I had, and didn't have any chinese greens so subbed with spinach. This came out beautifully: it's more of a noodle dish with a bit of broth than a soup. The flavours of the garlic and ginger in the broth were great, and it was very filling.

• Fresh tomato and sweet chilli pepper soup with smashed basil and olive oil

  • Ro_ on May 15, 2020

    This was nice, but not outstanding enough to justify the fact it was a bit faffy for a soup recipe (blanching and peeling tomatoes, grilling and peeling peppers) so I probably won't make it again. The best thing was the basil oil/pulp drizzled over the top at the end, which is an idea I'd repeat.

• Potato salad with salsa verde

  • Ro_ on May 29, 2020

    Absolutely loved this. All the acidic flavours really did it for me! Maybe a little bit less vinegar next time, but that's the only change I'd make.

• Ravioli of smashed fava beans, mint and ricotta

  • Ro_ on May 18, 2020

    I had issues with my pasta, but even aside from that I don't think this was a particularly great filling. It needed a lot more seasoning. The flavours are quite delicate and subtle, so I think the pasta needs to be super thin to help them come through.

• Seared encrusted tuna steak with cilantro and basil

  • Ro_ on June 10, 2020

    This was a nice, simple way to cook tuna. I was doing two tuna steaks so I made half the marinade, but I don't think it turned out to be enough - maybe I had particularly large pieces of tuna. Next time I'd make the full batch of marinade for two large pieces of tuna, particularly in terms of the liquid ingredients and fresh herbs. I cooked the tuna for about 30-40 seconds on each side and it came out super rare, which is how we like it.

• The most perfect steamed and roasted duck with honey and oyster sauce

  • Ro_ on March 22, 2021

    I made this to shred and serve with Chinese pancakes, hoisin sauce and cucumber/spring onion. It came out wonderfully, I was very pleased with the result. Because I shredded the meat I couldn't comment so much on how it would be if you were eating it in larger pieces with gravy, but it seemed to be tender and not dried out.

• Braised cabbage with smoked bacon and peas

  • Ro_ on March 25, 2021

    A very tasty cabbage dish, easy and quick to make. I used half a savoy cabbage and didn't add any spring greens, this was enough for 4 medium portions. I did add a smidge too much salt, not having taken into account that the bacon and stock were already bringing some saltiness to the dish.

• Marinated chickpeas with chilli, lemon and parsley

  • Ro_ on June 10, 2020

    I found this a bit "meh". My chickpeas still had quite a bit of bite to them even after the overnight soaking and two hours of cooking, and they didn't really absorb the oil so much as just sit in a puddle of it, so the dish was a bit dry and mealy. The flavours of the herbs and chilli were nice though. I wouldn't really make this again.

• Slow-cooked artichokes, sweet cherry tomatoes, thyme and basil

  • Ro_ on March 28, 2021

    My first time ever making artichokes (and one of my only times eating them), so it's hard to know how to rate this! I really enjoyed the overall flavours, but the instructions on prepping the artichokes weren't all that clear, particularly in terms of how much of the stalk and the outer leaves to remove. I think I ended up taking off too much stalk and not enough of the outer leaves (the exterieur ended up a little chewy). I enjoyed this, but considering that artichokes are expensive and quite hassly to prepare, I probably won't make it again in a hurry.

• Baked lima beans with leeks, Parmesan and cream

  • nikki19_84 on May 04, 2022

    Very creamy. Quite rich.